Chelsea Handler is a big fan of British Columbia’s Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort, and is expressing her love in a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter.
Handler first visited Whistler back in 2013, when she and some friends celebrated her 38th birthday on the slopes, and she’s returned every year — and even owns her own ski-in, ski-out chalet, which she purchased via FaceTime in 2020, partly due to fears that Donald Trump would win a second term as president and she’d need to flee to Canada.
“My little ski chalet is super cozy,” Handler writes. “The fireplace heats it up to a nice, breezy 100 degrees — if you put the fire on, you have to open all the doors. It’s quite a situation. It serves all my purposes and my three main passions in life: reading books, cannabis and skiing.”
Read More: Chelsea Handler Talks Her Love Of Topless Skiing,...
Handler first visited Whistler back in 2013, when she and some friends celebrated her 38th birthday on the slopes, and she’s returned every year — and even owns her own ski-in, ski-out chalet, which she purchased via FaceTime in 2020, partly due to fears that Donald Trump would win a second term as president and she’d need to flee to Canada.
“My little ski chalet is super cozy,” Handler writes. “The fireplace heats it up to a nice, breezy 100 degrees — if you put the fire on, you have to open all the doors. It’s quite a situation. It serves all my purposes and my three main passions in life: reading books, cannabis and skiing.”
Read More: Chelsea Handler Talks Her Love Of Topless Skiing,...
- 2/12/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
There’s something very special about Whistler. Not everybody makes it up there because it’s a bit of a trek and also in a different country, and I just love that feeling.
I’m from the East Coast, and you know, skiing there is ice. It’s brutal, brutal cold. Not fun at all. I didn’t know skiing could be enjoyable. But one year at the Aspen Comedy Festival, David Alan Grier suggested we go skiing, and I was like, “What? I don’t have any clothes.” It was 55 degrees out. He said, “Just put on some jeans and a coat and let’s go.” So I did and we went, and I could not believe it. I was like, “Wait a second, you can be comfortable and not freeze your ass off?!” I’d rediscovered skiing.
I went to Whistler for the first time for my 38th birthday with girlfriends,...
I’m from the East Coast, and you know, skiing there is ice. It’s brutal, brutal cold. Not fun at all. I didn’t know skiing could be enjoyable. But one year at the Aspen Comedy Festival, David Alan Grier suggested we go skiing, and I was like, “What? I don’t have any clothes.” It was 55 degrees out. He said, “Just put on some jeans and a coat and let’s go.” So I did and we went, and I could not believe it. I was like, “Wait a second, you can be comfortable and not freeze your ass off?!” I’d rediscovered skiing.
I went to Whistler for the first time for my 38th birthday with girlfriends,...
- 2/12/2023
- by Chelsea Handler, as told to Kathryn Romeyn
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Did the NCIS manage to take down Maxwell before it was too late?
On NCIS: Hawai'i Season 2 Episode 1, Torres and Knight made their way to Hawaii with Ernie and Jane.
However, they were ambushed early into the mission, leaving lives on the line.
Meanwhile, things were on the up for Whistler and Lucy as the crossover concluded in a dramatic fashion.
Watch NCIS: Hawai'i Season 2 Episode 1 Online
Use the video above to watch NCIS: Hawai'i online right here via TV Fanatic.
Catch up on all your favorite shows and reviews and join in the conversations with other fanatics who love TV as much as you.
TV Fanatic is your destination for the latest news, spoilers, reviews, and so much more!
On NCIS: Hawai'i Season 2 Episode 1, Torres and Knight made their way to Hawaii with Ernie and Jane.
However, they were ambushed early into the mission, leaving lives on the line.
Meanwhile, things were on the up for Whistler and Lucy as the crossover concluded in a dramatic fashion.
Watch NCIS: Hawai'i Season 2 Episode 1 Online
Use the video above to watch NCIS: Hawai'i online right here via TV Fanatic.
Catch up on all your favorite shows and reviews and join in the conversations with other fanatics who love TV as much as you.
TV Fanatic is your destination for the latest news, spoilers, reviews, and so much more!
- 9/20/2022
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Happy August, dear readers! With Halloween season right around the corner, it seems like this month has a ton of great small-screen horror to get you ready for the impending Spooky Times ahead. There are a ton of killer genre offerings headed to a variety of platforms, plus a ton of other movies being released throughout August via Digital and On Demand platforms as well.
Take a look at our breakdown of everything being released in the next few weeks below so that you can enjoy all the great new horror and sci-fi movies and series coming home during August. Cheers!
All Must Die (Breaking Glass Pictures) - August 2nd
A Norwegian take on the slasher genre, the film follows a group of women on a bachelorette party weekend. When they decide to play a horror role-playing game, things take a turn for deadly when they begin being picked off one-by-one.
Take a look at our breakdown of everything being released in the next few weeks below so that you can enjoy all the great new horror and sci-fi movies and series coming home during August. Cheers!
All Must Die (Breaking Glass Pictures) - August 2nd
A Norwegian take on the slasher genre, the film follows a group of women on a bachelorette party weekend. When they decide to play a horror role-playing game, things take a turn for deadly when they begin being picked off one-by-one.
- 8/1/2022
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Kate Beckinsale is doing everything she can by encouraging everyone to vote ahead of the US election.
The 47-year-old actress put on a sizzling display as she stunned her fans after stripping down to a bra to encourage her fans to vote.
Ahead of the 2020 US Elections, Kate Beckinsale took to Instagram to share the unique picture of her urging fans to “be kind to yourselves, and each other” on Election Day.
View this post on Instagram
Turns out the ghost of Whistler’s mother was there the whole time - who,on top of having produced such a fine American artist son (despite his being primarily based in the UK), crossed the Atlantic herself 11 times and lived in both Russia and London -is also clearly observing social distancing from beyond the grave. A comfort,all round .Good luck everyone. Be kind to yourselves, and each other x
A post...
The 47-year-old actress put on a sizzling display as she stunned her fans after stripping down to a bra to encourage her fans to vote.
Ahead of the 2020 US Elections, Kate Beckinsale took to Instagram to share the unique picture of her urging fans to “be kind to yourselves, and each other” on Election Day.
View this post on Instagram
Turns out the ghost of Whistler’s mother was there the whole time - who,on top of having produced such a fine American artist son (despite his being primarily based in the UK), crossed the Atlantic herself 11 times and lived in both Russia and London -is also clearly observing social distancing from beyond the grave. A comfort,all round .Good luck everyone. Be kind to yourselves, and each other x
A post...
- 11/4/2020
- by Omkar Padte
- GlamSham
Scott Jeffrey's Don't Speak will debut on DVD and digital platforms on March 10th, and we have a look at the film's trailer. Also in today's Horror Highlights: details on Jennifer Nicole Stang's short film The Whistler coming to Shudder and a Q&a with Chad Rehmann, the composer of Shout! Studios' new horror film Camp Cold Brook.
Don't Speak Trailer: "It wasn't supposed to escape.
This March, writer-director Scott Jeffrey sets the creature free.
Terror abounds in Don’t Speak, premiering on DVD and Digital this March 10.
Upon arriving at their grandparents' farm, a family soon realizes the entire town has been taken out by an unknown monster. And soon, they become their prey.
Stephanie Lodge, Ryan Davies, and Jake Watkins star in Don’t Speak – on DVD and Digital March 10 from Uncork'd Entertainment."
---------
The Whistler Coming to Shudder: Press Release: "(Vancouver, BC-January 25th, 2020) - The Whistler,...
Don't Speak Trailer: "It wasn't supposed to escape.
This March, writer-director Scott Jeffrey sets the creature free.
Terror abounds in Don’t Speak, premiering on DVD and Digital this March 10.
Upon arriving at their grandparents' farm, a family soon realizes the entire town has been taken out by an unknown monster. And soon, they become their prey.
Stephanie Lodge, Ryan Davies, and Jake Watkins star in Don’t Speak – on DVD and Digital March 10 from Uncork'd Entertainment."
---------
The Whistler Coming to Shudder: Press Release: "(Vancouver, BC-January 25th, 2020) - The Whistler,...
- 2/4/2020
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Canada contends this year with “Antigone” for its eighth Oscar nomination in the Best International Feature category, which has been renamed from Best Foreign Language Film. Canada was a staple of the race until recently, making the shortlist seven out of 10 times from 2003 to 2012. This included the country’s first and only win, for 2003’s “The Barbarian Invasions” by Denys Arcand, as well as three consecutive nominations from 2010 to 2012. Canada has been snubbed the last six years, only making the shortlist for 2016’s “It’s Only the End of the World,” which had won the Grand Prix runner-up award at the Cannes Film Festival for director Xavier Dolan.
“Antigone” is shaping up to be Canada’s most-acclaimed submission in years. Its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival yielded the People’s Choice Award for Best Canadian Film and the film has 91% approval from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, the best rating...
“Antigone” is shaping up to be Canada’s most-acclaimed submission in years. Its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival yielded the People’s Choice Award for Best Canadian Film and the film has 91% approval from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, the best rating...
- 12/15/2019
- by Riley Chow
- Gold Derby
Doesn’t sound like Season 7 will be quite so lucky for the titular hero of The CW’s “Arrow.”
In addition to facing off against old foes, the newly imprisoned Green Arrow/Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) will also be forced to contend with The Longbow Hunters, described as “a legendary group of assassins recruited by Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) to enact his revenge on Oliver and the team after they took down his burgeoning criminal empire in Season 6.
The trio of new baddies include Red Dart (pictured), who’ll be played by “Whistler” alum Holly Elissa and is described as “a ruthless and precise killer”; Kodiak (Michael Jonsson of “Van Helsing”), a “beast of a man with brute force”; and Silencer (played by Miranda Edwards of “The Magicians” and “Orphan Black”), who’s “a master of stealth.”
Also Read: The CW's 'Supergirl' Adds Nicole Maines as Transgender Superhero...
In addition to facing off against old foes, the newly imprisoned Green Arrow/Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) will also be forced to contend with The Longbow Hunters, described as “a legendary group of assassins recruited by Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) to enact his revenge on Oliver and the team after they took down his burgeoning criminal empire in Season 6.
The trio of new baddies include Red Dart (pictured), who’ll be played by “Whistler” alum Holly Elissa and is described as “a ruthless and precise killer”; Kodiak (Michael Jonsson of “Van Helsing”), a “beast of a man with brute force”; and Silencer (played by Miranda Edwards of “The Magicians” and “Orphan Black”), who’s “a master of stealth.”
Also Read: The CW's 'Supergirl' Adds Nicole Maines as Transgender Superhero...
- 7/21/2018
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
On the heels of Telefilm Canada’s pledge on November 11 that half of its projects will be directed or written by women in a move to close the industry gender gap by 2020, the Whistler Film Festival (Nov 30 — Dec 4) was proud to present an unprecedented number of female focused films, talent, events and awards throughout its 2016 programs.
The festival featured a record 31 (36%) films all directed by women (including 15 feature films out of 50 and 16 short films out of 36). Wff also has 38 (58%) female filmmakers out of the 66 Canadian artists confirmed to date participating in 11 talent programs — including 22 directors, 6 producers, 3 screenwriters, 2 actors, and 5 musicians/bands in the Music Showcase. Add this to the talent confirmed to attend the festival in support of their films and projects, including award winning director and screenwriter Deepa Mehta (An Anatomy Of Violence), director Ingrid Veninger (Hockey Night), director Kirsten Carthew (The Sun At Midnight) and director Martine Blue...
The festival featured a record 31 (36%) films all directed by women (including 15 feature films out of 50 and 16 short films out of 36). Wff also has 38 (58%) female filmmakers out of the 66 Canadian artists confirmed to date participating in 11 talent programs — including 22 directors, 6 producers, 3 screenwriters, 2 actors, and 5 musicians/bands in the Music Showcase. Add this to the talent confirmed to attend the festival in support of their films and projects, including award winning director and screenwriter Deepa Mehta (An Anatomy Of Violence), director Ingrid Veninger (Hockey Night), director Kirsten Carthew (The Sun At Midnight) and director Martine Blue...
- 12/7/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Glee castmates marked the third anniversary of Cory Monteith's death, using the hashtag "#3YearsWithoutCory" on social media. Monteith starred as Finn Hudson on the first four seasons of the Fox musical comedy-drama series. Glee stars including then-girlfriend Lea Michele, as well as Matthew Morrison, Naya Rivera, Chord Overstreet, Jenna Ushkowitz, Heather Morris, Harry Shum Jr., Diana Agron, and Kevin McHale honored Monteith's passing.Monteith died on July 13, 2016 from a heroin and alcohol overdose, prior to the fifth season of the six season series from creators Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk, and Ryan Murphy. Monteith's other TV series work includes Kaya (2007) and Kyle Xy (2006-7), as well as appearances on Stargate Sg-1 (2006), Whistler (2006), Smallville (2005), Supernatural (2005), and Stargate Atlantis (2004).Read More…...
- 7/14/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
The 15th anniversary celebration of the Whistler Film Festival wrapped Sunday night, living up to its title as ‘Canada’s coolest film fest’ by hosting more premieres, filmmakers, industry executives, and celebrities than ever before, including unique experiences from films, music and parties to high adrenaline races.
The Whistler Film Festival’s Pandora Audience Award went to British-American romantic drama "Carol," directed by Todd Haynes from the screenplay by Phyllis Nagy (Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch class of 2014) starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which received its Canadian premiere at Whistler. The Wff Audience Award runner-ups were "The Legend of Barney Thomson," character-actor Robert Carlyle's first theatrical feature and directorial debut, which received its North American premiere at the festival, followed by Ricardo Trogi’s mid-life crisis dramedy, Quebec film "Le Mirage," the highest grossing and most popular Canadian film of the year so far. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.
Paul Gratton, Director of Programming had this to say about this year’s event: "We were very fortunate to open this year's fest with the Canadian premiere of "Carol," a film we are convinced will be a major contender in this year's awards season race. The festival took off from there, with many sold out screenings, packed and newsworthy industry sessions, and over 450 guests who made a point of trekking out to beautiful Whistler to support their films and talk business with the high-level movers and shakers also in attendance. 2015 represented another step forward towards making Wff the coolest festival in the world. Can't wait 'til next year.”
Total attendance for this year’s fest was 13,233 attendees (a 18% increase over 11,273 in 2014) . This included 7,740 film-screening attendees and 3,533 special event attendees (Signature Series, Music Café, ShortWork Showcase, R-Rated Party, Awards Brunch, L’Oreal Men Expert Bobsleigh Race and Celebrity Challenge Ski Race), in addition to 2,530 Summit attendees. Several of the feature films were at or near capacity, including: "Born to be Blue," "Chasing Bansky," "Forsaken," "How to Plan and Orgy in a Small Town," "Legend,""Legend of Barney Thomson," "Numb," "The Lady in the Van," "the Steps," and "Trumbo."
Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 30 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television, and digital media industry. Overall Summit attendance was at 86% capacity with 2,530 attendees (a 13% increase over 2,231 in 2014) including 855 delegates (on par with 2014). The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for 42 Canadian artists including its Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship, and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Women in the Director’s Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. In addition to the
204 scheduled meetings (a 10% increase over 186 in 2014) that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, USA, UK, India, and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business.
Film met music when Morning Show, one of the ten-featured BC artists from Wff’s Music Café, performed the live score for "He Hated Pigeons." Wff’s Music Café, which expanded to include two showcases over two days and featured five music supervisors, was well received with several deals in the works and over 526 guests in attendance.
Toronto’s first-time feature director Jamie M. Dagg’s "River" dominated Whistler prize-giving, winning for best Canadian feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia. The jury also awarded French-Canadian actor Paul Savoie with Best Performance in a Borsos Film for his performance in "The Diary of an Old Man," as well as provided honorable mention for Rossif Sutherland’s work in "River" and Laura Abramsen’s roles in "Basic human Needs" and "The Sabbatical." Lastly, Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film, presented by I.A.T.S.E. Local 669, went to cinematographer Dylan Macleod for "He Hated Pigeons," directed by Ingrid Veninger. The Borsos Jury was comprised of three accomplished film industry artists that included the highly versatile director and screenwriter and WFF15 Alumni Carl Bessai ("Rehearsal), beloved actor and director Marc-André Grondin , and award-winning producer extraordinaire, Kim McCraw.
Other Whistler award winners included "Last Harvest" by first-time female director Hui (Jane) Wang that won the World Documentary Award presented by Tribute.ca with honorable mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." The Best Mountain Culture Film presented by Whistler Blackcomb went to Anthony Bonello’s "Eclipse." The Canadian ShortWork Award went to "Withheld" directed by Johnathan Sousa, with an honorable mention to Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett’s Mia’. The International ShortWork Award was awarded to "Dissonance" by Germany filmmaker Till Nowak, with Langara College’s Canadian ShortWork Award for Best Screenplay given to Jem Garrard’s "The World Who Came to Dinner." Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s Lawrence Lam won the ShortWork Student Award presented by Capilano University Film Centre for "The Blue Jet," and Maja Aro won the Mppia Short Film Award for "Hoods" presented by Mppia and Creative BC, which consists of a $15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in services. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (Awfj) Eda Awards gave Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature to Valerie Weiss’ "A Light Beneath Their Feet," Best Female-Directed Documentary to Hui (Jane) Wang’s "Last Harvest," with a special mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." In addition, Céline Devaux’s "Sunday Lunch" took home the Best Female-Directed Short Award.
Receiving Wff’s Trailblazer Award and Tribute presented by Pandora, British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director Kiefer Sutherland discussed his extensive acting career spanning film, stage and television, with CTV Film Critic Jim Gordon , followed by the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest film, "Forsaken." Scottish-born Robert Carlyle , one of the most recognizable actors today, graced the Festival’s red carpet at this year’s Spotlight event as Wff’s Maverick Award honoree and sat down with Jim Gordon to discuss his bold choices that have led to the creation of some of the most dynamic, memorable, and beloved characters of our time before the North American Premiere of his directorial debut, "The Legend the Barny Thomson." One of Canada's hardest working and most accomplished character actors, Bruce Greenwood was the recipient of Wff’s Career Achievement Award, at the World Premiere of his latest film "Rehearsal," directed by admired Wff Alumni Carl Bessai.
The Whistler Film Festival proudly hosted the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch for the fourth consecutive year hosted by Variety Vice President and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos . This year’s slate of screenwriters in attendance included Bryan Sipe ("Demolition"), John Scott III ("Maggie"), Meg LeFauve ("Inside Out"), Mike Le ("Patient Zero"), and Emma Donoghue ("Room"), who also delivered a Master Class for the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab participants.
To top it all off, Lauren Lee Smith ("How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town"), Jakob Davies ("The Birdwatcher"), Taylor Russell and Rustin Gresiuk ("Suspension") were recognized as Wff’s Rising Stars sponsored by Ubcp/Actra at this year’s Keynote Filmmaker Luncheon presented by Pacific Northwest Pictures, and all had films premiering at the fest.
Over 400 guests attended the fest with other notable talent in attendance with films premiering at the fest including: actor Rossif Sutherland ("River"), director Jon Cassar ("Forsaken"), actor Callum Keith Rennie ("Born to Be Blue"), director/writer Sandy Wilson ("My American Cousin), actors Aleks Paunovic, Stefanie von Pfetten, Marie Avgeropoulos and Colin Cunningham ("Numb"), actors Chelah Horsdal and Alex Zahara ("Patterson's Wager"), actor Sage Brocklebank ("Suspension"), actors Gabrielle Rose and Camille Sullivan ("The Birdwatcher"), actor Rebecca Dalton ("The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship"), actor Paul Savoie ("The Diary of an Old Man"), director and founder of the Toronto Film Critics Association Brian D. Johnson ("Al Purdy Was Here"), director and co-founder of World Elephant Day Patricia Sims and co-director Michael Clark ("When Elephants Were Young"), "The Steps" director Andrew Currie and actor Steven McCarthy , and award-winning directors Philippe Lesage ("The Demons") and Ricardo Trogi ("The Miracle"). Veteran director Bruce McDonald attended as a mentor of the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab, as well as Canadian actress, writer, filmmaker, comedian, and social activist Mary Walsh , who participated in the Women In The Director’s Chair program and got a standing ovation as Wff’s Keynote Speaker at the Filmmaker Luncheon.
The Whistler Film Festival’s Pandora Audience Award went to British-American romantic drama "Carol," directed by Todd Haynes from the screenplay by Phyllis Nagy (Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch class of 2014) starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which received its Canadian premiere at Whistler. The Wff Audience Award runner-ups were "The Legend of Barney Thomson," character-actor Robert Carlyle's first theatrical feature and directorial debut, which received its North American premiere at the festival, followed by Ricardo Trogi’s mid-life crisis dramedy, Quebec film "Le Mirage," the highest grossing and most popular Canadian film of the year so far. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.
Paul Gratton, Director of Programming had this to say about this year’s event: "We were very fortunate to open this year's fest with the Canadian premiere of "Carol," a film we are convinced will be a major contender in this year's awards season race. The festival took off from there, with many sold out screenings, packed and newsworthy industry sessions, and over 450 guests who made a point of trekking out to beautiful Whistler to support their films and talk business with the high-level movers and shakers also in attendance. 2015 represented another step forward towards making Wff the coolest festival in the world. Can't wait 'til next year.”
Total attendance for this year’s fest was 13,233 attendees (a 18% increase over 11,273 in 2014) . This included 7,740 film-screening attendees and 3,533 special event attendees (Signature Series, Music Café, ShortWork Showcase, R-Rated Party, Awards Brunch, L’Oreal Men Expert Bobsleigh Race and Celebrity Challenge Ski Race), in addition to 2,530 Summit attendees. Several of the feature films were at or near capacity, including: "Born to be Blue," "Chasing Bansky," "Forsaken," "How to Plan and Orgy in a Small Town," "Legend,""Legend of Barney Thomson," "Numb," "The Lady in the Van," "the Steps," and "Trumbo."
Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 30 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television, and digital media industry. Overall Summit attendance was at 86% capacity with 2,530 attendees (a 13% increase over 2,231 in 2014) including 855 delegates (on par with 2014). The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for 42 Canadian artists including its Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship, and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Women in the Director’s Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. In addition to the
204 scheduled meetings (a 10% increase over 186 in 2014) that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, USA, UK, India, and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business.
Film met music when Morning Show, one of the ten-featured BC artists from Wff’s Music Café, performed the live score for "He Hated Pigeons." Wff’s Music Café, which expanded to include two showcases over two days and featured five music supervisors, was well received with several deals in the works and over 526 guests in attendance.
Toronto’s first-time feature director Jamie M. Dagg’s "River" dominated Whistler prize-giving, winning for best Canadian feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia. The jury also awarded French-Canadian actor Paul Savoie with Best Performance in a Borsos Film for his performance in "The Diary of an Old Man," as well as provided honorable mention for Rossif Sutherland’s work in "River" and Laura Abramsen’s roles in "Basic human Needs" and "The Sabbatical." Lastly, Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film, presented by I.A.T.S.E. Local 669, went to cinematographer Dylan Macleod for "He Hated Pigeons," directed by Ingrid Veninger. The Borsos Jury was comprised of three accomplished film industry artists that included the highly versatile director and screenwriter and WFF15 Alumni Carl Bessai ("Rehearsal), beloved actor and director Marc-André Grondin , and award-winning producer extraordinaire, Kim McCraw.
Other Whistler award winners included "Last Harvest" by first-time female director Hui (Jane) Wang that won the World Documentary Award presented by Tribute.ca with honorable mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." The Best Mountain Culture Film presented by Whistler Blackcomb went to Anthony Bonello’s "Eclipse." The Canadian ShortWork Award went to "Withheld" directed by Johnathan Sousa, with an honorable mention to Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett’s Mia’. The International ShortWork Award was awarded to "Dissonance" by Germany filmmaker Till Nowak, with Langara College’s Canadian ShortWork Award for Best Screenplay given to Jem Garrard’s "The World Who Came to Dinner." Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s Lawrence Lam won the ShortWork Student Award presented by Capilano University Film Centre for "The Blue Jet," and Maja Aro won the Mppia Short Film Award for "Hoods" presented by Mppia and Creative BC, which consists of a $15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in services. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (Awfj) Eda Awards gave Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature to Valerie Weiss’ "A Light Beneath Their Feet," Best Female-Directed Documentary to Hui (Jane) Wang’s "Last Harvest," with a special mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." In addition, Céline Devaux’s "Sunday Lunch" took home the Best Female-Directed Short Award.
Receiving Wff’s Trailblazer Award and Tribute presented by Pandora, British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director Kiefer Sutherland discussed his extensive acting career spanning film, stage and television, with CTV Film Critic Jim Gordon , followed by the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest film, "Forsaken." Scottish-born Robert Carlyle , one of the most recognizable actors today, graced the Festival’s red carpet at this year’s Spotlight event as Wff’s Maverick Award honoree and sat down with Jim Gordon to discuss his bold choices that have led to the creation of some of the most dynamic, memorable, and beloved characters of our time before the North American Premiere of his directorial debut, "The Legend the Barny Thomson." One of Canada's hardest working and most accomplished character actors, Bruce Greenwood was the recipient of Wff’s Career Achievement Award, at the World Premiere of his latest film "Rehearsal," directed by admired Wff Alumni Carl Bessai.
The Whistler Film Festival proudly hosted the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch for the fourth consecutive year hosted by Variety Vice President and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos . This year’s slate of screenwriters in attendance included Bryan Sipe ("Demolition"), John Scott III ("Maggie"), Meg LeFauve ("Inside Out"), Mike Le ("Patient Zero"), and Emma Donoghue ("Room"), who also delivered a Master Class for the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab participants.
To top it all off, Lauren Lee Smith ("How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town"), Jakob Davies ("The Birdwatcher"), Taylor Russell and Rustin Gresiuk ("Suspension") were recognized as Wff’s Rising Stars sponsored by Ubcp/Actra at this year’s Keynote Filmmaker Luncheon presented by Pacific Northwest Pictures, and all had films premiering at the fest.
Over 400 guests attended the fest with other notable talent in attendance with films premiering at the fest including: actor Rossif Sutherland ("River"), director Jon Cassar ("Forsaken"), actor Callum Keith Rennie ("Born to Be Blue"), director/writer Sandy Wilson ("My American Cousin), actors Aleks Paunovic, Stefanie von Pfetten, Marie Avgeropoulos and Colin Cunningham ("Numb"), actors Chelah Horsdal and Alex Zahara ("Patterson's Wager"), actor Sage Brocklebank ("Suspension"), actors Gabrielle Rose and Camille Sullivan ("The Birdwatcher"), actor Rebecca Dalton ("The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship"), actor Paul Savoie ("The Diary of an Old Man"), director and founder of the Toronto Film Critics Association Brian D. Johnson ("Al Purdy Was Here"), director and co-founder of World Elephant Day Patricia Sims and co-director Michael Clark ("When Elephants Were Young"), "The Steps" director Andrew Currie and actor Steven McCarthy , and award-winning directors Philippe Lesage ("The Demons") and Ricardo Trogi ("The Miracle"). Veteran director Bruce McDonald attended as a mentor of the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab, as well as Canadian actress, writer, filmmaker, comedian, and social activist Mary Walsh , who participated in the Women In The Director’s Chair program and got a standing ovation as Wff’s Keynote Speaker at the Filmmaker Luncheon.
- 12/9/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
The 15th anniversary of what's considered ‘Canada's coolest film festival' is rapidly approaching. The 2015 Whistler Film Festival (Wff) will take place December 2 to 6 with new films, special guests, industry connections, great events and time to enjoy on of North America’s premiere mountain resort destinations. Wff has announced its first 18 confirmed films, plus industry and event programming highlights.
The Whistler Film Festival combines an international film competition with a focused industry Summit dedicated to the art and business of filmmaking in the digital age. Featuring over 80 innovative and original films from around the world and opportunities to connect with the people who made them, this year’s fest will be filled with a solid lineup of premieres, honored guests, lively celebrations, and unique industry initiatives.
Wff’s Director of Programming and industry veteran Paul Gratton had this to say about the 2015 lineup confirmed to date: “The Whistler Film Festival continues to be a must-attend event for hip, young, film buffs and emerging filmmakers, and we are pleased to carve out our own unique niche by offering an impressive selection of Canadian premieres. This year's titles cast a wide net in terms of subject matter, and our Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year. WFF15 has something for everyone. "While our final line-up of titles is far from complete, early programming trends suggest a very strong year for female directors and innovative new voices from young directors hoping to find new ways of telling stories and connecting with audiences.”
A great example of innovation will be the World Premiere screening of Daniel Robinson's "Nestor," the first narrative feature ever made by one person, who wrote, produced, directed, edited and stars in this compelling tale of outdoor survival.
Another example of seeking out new narrative approaches, and leading this year's women directors present at Whistler, is Diy queen Ingrid Veninger’s latest "He Hated Pigeons" about a young man pushed to the border of sanity as he steps into manhood. Shot in South America, the film is designed to support a spontaneous live score to be performed during the screening. In other words, each screening will evoke different responses depending on the approach taken by the live musicians accompanying the showing. Other female directed highlights coming to Whistler include the World Premiere of Vancouver filmmaker Melanie Jones' "Fsm," a contemporary study of a female DJ trying to find love in a world of technological innovation and all-night raves.
Continuing its love of quirky musicals, Wff will present the Western Canadian premiere of Jude Klassen’s debut feature film "Love in the Sixth," an unromantic musical comedy of “enviromantic” angst. Another Canadian Premiere is Valerie Weiss' "A Lights Beneath Their Feet," a superb study of the mutually dependent relationship between a young student hoping to leave home for college and her bipolar mother who can't cope with the thought of letting her go. Taryn Manning, Maddie Hasson and Madison Davenport lead the cast. Another moving look at mother/daughter relationships can be found in the World Premiere of Siobhan Devine’s "The Birdwatcher," a family drama about a mother and daughter reconnecting starring WFF14 Rising Star Camille Sullivan and Gabrielle Rose.
Jeremy Lalonde's "How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town," featuring Lauren Holly and Katharine Isabelle; and Sergio Navarretta's "The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship," set during a mouth-watering winetasting tour of the Niagara region; focus on the challenge of maintaining interpersonal relationships. Darker still is the Canadian Premiere of Josh Hope's "The Life and Death of an Unhappily Married Man," in which a disillusioned young man decides to visit his past to see where it all went wrong. Brian Stockton's "The Sabbatical" is a comedic look at a photography professor's mid-life crisis and a young artist who rekindles the lost spirit of his youth, and Matthew Yim's "Basic Human Needs" follows a young couple whose plans to get out of Regina are thwarted by a missing prophylactic.
BC's own Fred Ewanuick stars as a man who can see two minutes into the future in Vancouver filmmaker O. Corbin Saleken's first feature "Patterson's Wager."
BC based genre specialist Jeffery Lando will be gracing the late night screens with the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest horror work "Suspension." John Ainslie will be unveiling the World premiere of his tense psychological thriller "The Sublet," about a new mother unraveling psychologically after and she and her fiance move into a sublet apartment, featuring Vancouver actress Tianna Nori in the lead.
On the documentary front, Wff will be presenting the North American premiere of Jan Foukal's "Amerika," a lyrical look at a unique Eastern European phenomenon known as 'tramping', as Vancouver-based Barbara Adler takes us on a mission into the mountains and the forests of the Czech Republic where she encounters social dropouts who choose to live what they consider to be a North American back-to-the-wilderness lifestyle. "Last Harvest," from director Jane Hui Wang, is a Canadian documentary feature that looks at an elderly Chinese couple forced to relocate by the government to make way for a mammoth water diversion project. Also, on the international front, Whistler is proud to present the Canadian Premiere of "Blood Cells" by Joseph Bull and Luke Seomore about a lost man wandering through the British countryside, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
As always, Whistler is pleased to feature the best of Quebec cinema, and this year the festival has two titles already lined up. Bernard Emond's "Diary of an Old Man" is a deeply moving adaptation of an Anton Chekov story about an old man fighting feelings of bitterness despite his privileged life as an academic, starring Paul Savoie in a Canada Screen Awards worthy performance. Finally, a haunting look at childhood innocence, at risk from the evils of an outside world is Philippe Lesage's "The Demons" starring Pascale Bussières and Laurent Lucas, about a tight-knit small-town community beset by a child serial killer.
Celebrating its 12th edition in 2015, Wff’s coveted Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature honors independent vision, original directorial style and the diversity of talent found in Canadian independent film. New for 2015, all Canadian feature films in the festival with Western Canadian premiere status will be included in the Borsos Competition and there is no longer a six film restriction to the number that can compete. An international jury of three will decide on four awards including a $15,000 Cdn prize.
Wff’s slate of special events confirmed to date include the Opening and Closing Galas, Signature Series including the Pandora Tribute and Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch In Conversation, ShortWork Showdown, Awards Brunch and a grand15th Anniversary Celebration, with more to come.
New for 2015, Wff introduces the L’Oreal Mens Expert Bobsleigh Race on December 3 at the Whistler Sliding Centre, one of the fastest tracks in the world, where celebrities, filmmakers, VIP guests and corporate teams will experience the thrill of a lifetime reaching speeds up to 125 km per hour. And the adrenaline continues to flow with Wff’s annual Columbia Celebrity Challenge on December 5, with corporate teams and festival guests joining the stars of the screen and the stars of the slopes in a fun, guess your time, dual slalom race on Whistler Mountain. Proceeds from these fun-raising” events will support Wff’s annual programs for Canadian artists, including the industry initiatives, labs and festival.
Film meets music at Wff’s Music Café, which has expanded to two days to include an evening showcase on December 4, and daytime showcase and dedicated industry panel on December 5, with the possibility of additional performances during the festival. Up to 10 export-ready British Columbia songwriters and artists from across the musical spectrum will be selected to each play a live 20-minute set and meet with key international music and film executives and delegates attending the festival.
Wff's Industry Summit will feature three concentrated days of business programs and networking that address the business and future of Canadian film, locally and in the international marketplace, as well as the ever-changing landscape of filmmaking in the digital age. Featuring over 20 interactive sessions, Wff's Summit is designed to provide practical business and creative intel, and foster business collaborations for filmmakers and deal-makers. Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the domestic and international film communities while addressing crossing borders and platforms, Whistler is the place to be, connect and deal this December. 1,000 delegates are expected to attend.
The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for Canadian artists including the Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch, Women in the Directors Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. Application details and information for all Wff industry and project development programs are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival combines an international film competition with a focused industry Summit dedicated to the art and business of filmmaking in the digital age. Featuring over 80 innovative and original films from around the world and opportunities to connect with the people who made them, this year’s fest will be filled with a solid lineup of premieres, honored guests, lively celebrations, and unique industry initiatives.
Wff’s Director of Programming and industry veteran Paul Gratton had this to say about the 2015 lineup confirmed to date: “The Whistler Film Festival continues to be a must-attend event for hip, young, film buffs and emerging filmmakers, and we are pleased to carve out our own unique niche by offering an impressive selection of Canadian premieres. This year's titles cast a wide net in terms of subject matter, and our Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year. WFF15 has something for everyone. "While our final line-up of titles is far from complete, early programming trends suggest a very strong year for female directors and innovative new voices from young directors hoping to find new ways of telling stories and connecting with audiences.”
A great example of innovation will be the World Premiere screening of Daniel Robinson's "Nestor," the first narrative feature ever made by one person, who wrote, produced, directed, edited and stars in this compelling tale of outdoor survival.
Another example of seeking out new narrative approaches, and leading this year's women directors present at Whistler, is Diy queen Ingrid Veninger’s latest "He Hated Pigeons" about a young man pushed to the border of sanity as he steps into manhood. Shot in South America, the film is designed to support a spontaneous live score to be performed during the screening. In other words, each screening will evoke different responses depending on the approach taken by the live musicians accompanying the showing. Other female directed highlights coming to Whistler include the World Premiere of Vancouver filmmaker Melanie Jones' "Fsm," a contemporary study of a female DJ trying to find love in a world of technological innovation and all-night raves.
Continuing its love of quirky musicals, Wff will present the Western Canadian premiere of Jude Klassen’s debut feature film "Love in the Sixth," an unromantic musical comedy of “enviromantic” angst. Another Canadian Premiere is Valerie Weiss' "A Lights Beneath Their Feet," a superb study of the mutually dependent relationship between a young student hoping to leave home for college and her bipolar mother who can't cope with the thought of letting her go. Taryn Manning, Maddie Hasson and Madison Davenport lead the cast. Another moving look at mother/daughter relationships can be found in the World Premiere of Siobhan Devine’s "The Birdwatcher," a family drama about a mother and daughter reconnecting starring WFF14 Rising Star Camille Sullivan and Gabrielle Rose.
Jeremy Lalonde's "How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town," featuring Lauren Holly and Katharine Isabelle; and Sergio Navarretta's "The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship," set during a mouth-watering winetasting tour of the Niagara region; focus on the challenge of maintaining interpersonal relationships. Darker still is the Canadian Premiere of Josh Hope's "The Life and Death of an Unhappily Married Man," in which a disillusioned young man decides to visit his past to see where it all went wrong. Brian Stockton's "The Sabbatical" is a comedic look at a photography professor's mid-life crisis and a young artist who rekindles the lost spirit of his youth, and Matthew Yim's "Basic Human Needs" follows a young couple whose plans to get out of Regina are thwarted by a missing prophylactic.
BC's own Fred Ewanuick stars as a man who can see two minutes into the future in Vancouver filmmaker O. Corbin Saleken's first feature "Patterson's Wager."
BC based genre specialist Jeffery Lando will be gracing the late night screens with the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest horror work "Suspension." John Ainslie will be unveiling the World premiere of his tense psychological thriller "The Sublet," about a new mother unraveling psychologically after and she and her fiance move into a sublet apartment, featuring Vancouver actress Tianna Nori in the lead.
On the documentary front, Wff will be presenting the North American premiere of Jan Foukal's "Amerika," a lyrical look at a unique Eastern European phenomenon known as 'tramping', as Vancouver-based Barbara Adler takes us on a mission into the mountains and the forests of the Czech Republic where she encounters social dropouts who choose to live what they consider to be a North American back-to-the-wilderness lifestyle. "Last Harvest," from director Jane Hui Wang, is a Canadian documentary feature that looks at an elderly Chinese couple forced to relocate by the government to make way for a mammoth water diversion project. Also, on the international front, Whistler is proud to present the Canadian Premiere of "Blood Cells" by Joseph Bull and Luke Seomore about a lost man wandering through the British countryside, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
As always, Whistler is pleased to feature the best of Quebec cinema, and this year the festival has two titles already lined up. Bernard Emond's "Diary of an Old Man" is a deeply moving adaptation of an Anton Chekov story about an old man fighting feelings of bitterness despite his privileged life as an academic, starring Paul Savoie in a Canada Screen Awards worthy performance. Finally, a haunting look at childhood innocence, at risk from the evils of an outside world is Philippe Lesage's "The Demons" starring Pascale Bussières and Laurent Lucas, about a tight-knit small-town community beset by a child serial killer.
Celebrating its 12th edition in 2015, Wff’s coveted Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature honors independent vision, original directorial style and the diversity of talent found in Canadian independent film. New for 2015, all Canadian feature films in the festival with Western Canadian premiere status will be included in the Borsos Competition and there is no longer a six film restriction to the number that can compete. An international jury of three will decide on four awards including a $15,000 Cdn prize.
Wff’s slate of special events confirmed to date include the Opening and Closing Galas, Signature Series including the Pandora Tribute and Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch In Conversation, ShortWork Showdown, Awards Brunch and a grand15th Anniversary Celebration, with more to come.
New for 2015, Wff introduces the L’Oreal Mens Expert Bobsleigh Race on December 3 at the Whistler Sliding Centre, one of the fastest tracks in the world, where celebrities, filmmakers, VIP guests and corporate teams will experience the thrill of a lifetime reaching speeds up to 125 km per hour. And the adrenaline continues to flow with Wff’s annual Columbia Celebrity Challenge on December 5, with corporate teams and festival guests joining the stars of the screen and the stars of the slopes in a fun, guess your time, dual slalom race on Whistler Mountain. Proceeds from these fun-raising” events will support Wff’s annual programs for Canadian artists, including the industry initiatives, labs and festival.
Film meets music at Wff’s Music Café, which has expanded to two days to include an evening showcase on December 4, and daytime showcase and dedicated industry panel on December 5, with the possibility of additional performances during the festival. Up to 10 export-ready British Columbia songwriters and artists from across the musical spectrum will be selected to each play a live 20-minute set and meet with key international music and film executives and delegates attending the festival.
Wff's Industry Summit will feature three concentrated days of business programs and networking that address the business and future of Canadian film, locally and in the international marketplace, as well as the ever-changing landscape of filmmaking in the digital age. Featuring over 20 interactive sessions, Wff's Summit is designed to provide practical business and creative intel, and foster business collaborations for filmmakers and deal-makers. Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the domestic and international film communities while addressing crossing borders and platforms, Whistler is the place to be, connect and deal this December. 1,000 delegates are expected to attend.
The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for Canadian artists including the Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch, Women in the Directors Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. Application details and information for all Wff industry and project development programs are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
- 9/7/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Yesterday, Entertainment One announced that Bitten will return for a third season on Syfy. Also in this round-up: a Kill Bill: Volume 1 episode of Real Fake History and details on the release of Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim: Tales from the Drift #1.
Bitten: Press Release: "Leading independent studio, Entertainment One (eOne) is thrilled to announce 10 episodes of the supernatural thriller Bitten will return to Syfy for a third season. Based on the best-selling series of novels by Kelley Armstrong and produced by No Equal Entertainment, eOne, and Hoodwink Entertainment, Season three sees the return of genre icon Laura Vandervoort (Smallville, Ted) as Elena Michaels; Greyston Holt (Alcatraz, Durham County) as Clayton Danvers; Greg Byrk (A History Of Violence, Rookie Blue) as Jeremy Danvers; Steve Lund (Being Erica, Haven) as Nick Sorrentino, and Genelle Williams (Warehouse 13) as Rachel Sutton. Production will begin this summer in Toronto.
Bitten: Press Release: "Leading independent studio, Entertainment One (eOne) is thrilled to announce 10 episodes of the supernatural thriller Bitten will return to Syfy for a third season. Based on the best-selling series of novels by Kelley Armstrong and produced by No Equal Entertainment, eOne, and Hoodwink Entertainment, Season three sees the return of genre icon Laura Vandervoort (Smallville, Ted) as Elena Michaels; Greyston Holt (Alcatraz, Durham County) as Clayton Danvers; Greg Byrk (A History Of Violence, Rookie Blue) as Jeremy Danvers; Steve Lund (Being Erica, Haven) as Nick Sorrentino, and Genelle Williams (Warehouse 13) as Rachel Sutton. Production will begin this summer in Toronto.
- 7/7/2015
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Jan Miller is a connector – and she loves doing it! Supporting producers around the world is in her DNA. After she invited us to speak at the second Strategic Partners in Halifax, (which she created and directed for 15 years), we would then meet Jan regularly in Cuba, Berlin and Cannes where she is a regular moderator at the Producers’ Network Breakfasts. Cartegena was also on her regular beat. She is in demand everywhere as a trainer for directors, writers and producers of pitching and content development as well as an international consultant, from regular events like Poland’s ScriptEast, to Guangzhou, Manaus, Capetown, Glasgow, Yellowknife and most recently, Tehran to name just a few of the more exotic locales.
After bringing the stars in alignment to launch Canada’s first national film school, the National Screen Institute and its highly regarded Features First and Drama Prize programs almost three decades ago, Jan moved from Canada’s west to the east coast where she launched Strategic Partners, Canada’s premiere international co-production market.
In Sp’s 10th year, Jan was approached by Nadja Radojevic of the The Erich Pommer Institut – Epi to partner on a brand new training concept Trans Atlantic Partners (Tap) where Jan Miller serves as its Head of Studies. Together they have developed the program in to one-of-a-kind training that brings together experienced producers from Europe, Canada and the U.S. with a team of Experts, to develop projects for international co-production and co-venturing. Tap is co-presented by the Erich Pommer Institut and the Canadian Media Production Association – Cmpa. Industry partners are Telefilm Canada and Canada Media Fund.
Always responding to the industry, Tap began with only European and Canadian involvement but both Nadja and Jan realized bringing U.S. indie producers into the mix would take the program to a whole other level. Each year, three additional producers from beyond these three ‘regions’ are also selected to participate in this two-module program.
The Tap 2015 line-up includes producers from India, Australia and Mexico. And now in its 7th year, Tap, responding to the industry needs, has opened its program to independent producers with international television series projects in development as well.
This year’s expert line-up of award winning producers include Belladonna’s René Bastian of Belladonna Productions whose film “ Cold in July” is directed by Jim Mickie, and whose newest film “Live Cargo” was presented at Ifp’s No Borders and Us in Progress this past month, K5’s Oliver Simon, Dynamic Television’s Klaus Zimmermann (“100 Code”, “Borgia”, “Death In Paradise”, “The Transporter”), international television consultant Lorri Faughan (“Pillars Of The Earth”), and Buffalo Gal’s Phyllis Laing, (“Aloft”, “Keyhole”, Heaven is for Real”) of Buffalo Gal Pictures, Canada, who was herself a Tap’er in its very first year.
Jan says that they often draw on previous Tap producer talent to come back as resources as so many have remarkable track records.
The Erich Pommer Institut of Germany is a leading training provider in the European media industry dealing with cutting-edge legal and economic topics. Nadja Radojevic, has recently moved into the CEO and Director of Training.
Epi was founded in 1998. Erich Pommer himself was the producer of “Metropolis” and “The Blue Angel”. He left Germany in the war and his grandson, Erich Pommer is a Los Angeles entertainment attorney. The Institute’s core business is advanced professional training in film and media. Aside from Trans Atlantic Partners which is held in Berlin in June and in Halifax in September post Tiff, Epi hosts a European TV Drama Series Lab following the American model with top showrunners and Scandinavian trainers. Now in its fourth edition - former editions featured Showrunners James Manos (“Sopranos”), Carol Flint (“West Wing”, “Emergency Room”), Frank Spotnitz (“The X-Files”), Simon Mirren (“Criminal Minds”) and Glen Mazzara of “Walking Dead” – David Semel, Executive Producer “Madam Secretary”, Co-Executive Producer “House MD” and Director of “The Man in the High Castle”, “Hannibal”, Hemlock Grove”, “Homeland”, “Heroes”will be trainer amongst others.
Epi also hosts Essential Legal Framework, a program consisting of three independent workshops for European professionals on negotiating, European coproduction and digital strategies. A national section for German speakers only, runs four hours a day with 20-30 seminars per year. Its focus is on media law and deals with television, film production, labor and tax revisions which – one of their best-selling seminars as there have recently been quite a lot of changes in tax law in Germany. Classes in film financing and film funding are also popular.
There is also a Copyright Policy Congress, Writers Room Simulation and other conventions featuring various current topics relevant to the media industry. In fall Epi is pioneering with Epi e:training starting with a course on European Co-Production. Epi e:training is offering crucial knowledge and business insights by top-level experts online – at your own pace and wherever and whenever you want. “We developed the online training program according to the demands of today’s media industry. It offers more flexibility and adapts to individual preferences," comments Nadja Radojevic. Epi is located at the historic Babelsberg Studios and can be found at www.epi-medieninstitut.de
Trans Atlantic Partners (Tap) is designed for experienced film and television producers from Europe, Canada and the U.S. including 3 additional seats for International producers. The 24 Tap 2015 producers below were selected by the Erich Pommer Institut (Epi) (Germany) and the Canadian Media Production Association (Cmpa) (Canada).
European Producers
-Simon Amberger, Germany (Producer, "Eastalgia", Molodist Int. Ff 2012, Tallinn Int. Ff 2013 | Producer, Blockbustaz, 2014, Winner ZDFneo TV Lab 2014 | Producer, Ada, 2014)
-Sebastien Aubert, France ("Patardzlebi" (Brides), 2014, Berlinale 2014, 3rd Audience Award)
-Rudolf Biermann, Czech Republic (Producer, "Kawasaki's Rose," 2009, Berlinale 2010, Ecumenical Award Panorama Section, Czech Lion 2010 | Executive Producer, "I Served the King of England," 2006, Berlinale 2006, Fipresci Critics Award | Producer, "Garden," 1995, Karlovy Vary Iff 1995, Jury Award)
-Jacqueline de Goeij, Belgium (Producer, "Allez, Eddy!," 2012, Chemnitz Ff, Main Prize & Diamant Award For Most Convincing Acting Performance Of A Child, Palm Springs Best of the Fest Selection | Producer, "Zus & Zo," 2002, Academy Awards, Nominee Best Foreign Language Film, Dutch Ff, Golden Calf Best Actor)
-Sylvia Günthner, Germany (Producer, "Bela Kiss: Prologue," 2013, Twisted Celluloid Ff Ireland 2013, Audi Festival of German Films Australia 2014)
-Martin Heisler, Germany (Producer, "Houston," 2013, Sundance Ff 2013, Independent Ff Boston 2013, Special Prize of the Jury | Producer "Forget Me Not," 2012, Ff Locarno, Settima Della Critica 2012, Best film | Producer "David Wants to Fly," 2010, Berlinale 2010)
-Rachel Lysaght, Ireland (Producer, "Patrick's Day," 2015, Ifta 2014, Best Script, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Sound | Producer, "One Million Dubliners," 2014, TV Award Sandford Saint Martin Trust, UK, Irish Ff Boston 2015, Director's Choice, Galway Film Fleadh Ireland 2014, Best Feature Documentary)
-Christof Neracher, Switzerland (Producer, "War" (Chrieg), 2014, San Sebastian Ff 2014, Max Ophüls 2014, Max Ophüls Prize | Producer Vitus, 2006, Shortlist Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film 2006, Berlinale 2006, AFI Fest 2006, Audience Award)
-Diarmid Scrimshaw, UK (Producer / Production Co., "Tyrannosaur," 2012, Sundance 2011, Best Director, Satellite Awards 2011, Best First Feature)
Canadian Producers
-Coral Aiken, Canada (Producer, Big Muddy, 2014, Toronto Iff 2014, Arizona Iff 2015 | Producer, "The People Garden")
-Patrick Banister, Canada (Executive Producer, "Bitten," 2014 | Executive Producer, "Whistler," 2006)
-John Barbisan, Canada (Executive Producer, "Bitten," 2014 | Executive Producer, "Whistler," 2006)
-Amy Belling, Canada (Producer / DoP / Cam Op / Post Supervisor, Songs She Wrote About People She Knows, 2014, Toronto Iff 2014, Santa Barbara Iff 2015 | Producer / DoP / Cam Op / Post Super, Stress Position, 2013, Sci Fi London 2013, Las Vegas Ff 2013, Best Cinematography / Best Supporting Actor)
-Isaac Clements, Canada (Senior Production Executive, "The Pinkertons," 2014-15 | Production Executive, "Sunnyside,"2014-15 | Associate Producer, "Silent Night," 2012)
-Jeff Kopas, Canada (Producer / Director / Writer, "An Insignificant Harvey," 2011, Busan Iff 2012, Audience Award)
-Linda Ludwick, Canada (Exec. Producer/Producer: "Mohawk Girls Season 2," 2014, Yorkton Ff 2015, Banff Media Festival 2015 | Exec. Producer/Producer, "Smoke Traders," 2012, Yorkton Ff 2013 | Exec. Producer/Producer, "Reel Injun," 2009, 3 Gemini awards 2010 | Exec. Producer/Producer, "Moose TV," 2006, "Cfpta" 2008)
-Robyn Wiener, Canada (Producer, "Numb," 2015 | Producer, "Black Fly," 2014, Viff 2014 , Marché du Film Telefilm Perspective Canada Cannes 2015| Co-Producer / Line Producer, "Lawrence & Holoman," 2013, "Viff" 2013, Best Director | Co-Producer / Line Producer, "American Mary," 2012, London Fright Ff 2012)
American Producers
-Mollye Asher, USA (Producer, "Fort Tilden," 2015, SXSW 2014 Grand Jury Prize | Producer, "She's Lost Control," Independent Spirit Award Nominee 2015, Berlinale 2014 | Producer, "Songs My Brother Taught Me," 2015, Sundance 2015, Cannes 2015)
-Diane Houslin, USA (Producer, "Yelling to the Sky," 2011)
-Tommy Oliver, USA (Producer, 1982, 2015, Toronto Ff 2013, Austin Ff 2013, Marquee Audience Award | Producer, "The Perfect Guy," 2015 | Producer, "Kinyarwanda," 2011, Sundance Ff 2011, World Audience Award, AFI Fest 2011, Audience Award)
-Riel Roch Decter, USA (Producer, "The Wait," 2014, South by Southwest 2013, Deauville 2013 | Producer, "Bottled Up," 2014, Tribeca Film Festival 2013 | Producer, "Life After Death from Above 1979," 2014.
International Producers
-Vivek Kajaria, India (Producer, "Fandry," 2014, Indian Ff of La 2014, Grand Jury Prize Best Film, Fipresci India 2014, Film Critic Award Best Indian Film 2013 | Presenter, "Anumati," 2013, National Film Award for Best Actor 2013, New York Indian Ff 2013, Best Film Award | Producer, "Siddhant," 2015, Mumbai 2014)
-Ozcar Ramirez Gonzalez, Mexico (Producer, "Ciclo," 2013, DocsDF 2012, Vancouver Latino Iff 2013, Audience Award | Producer, "The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man," 2013, Tokyo Iff 2011, La Iff 2012 | Producer, "Days of Grace," 2012, Cannes Iff 2011, Guadalajara Iff 2012, Best Director, Best Score, Press Award)
-Lisa Shaunessy, Australia (Executive Producer, "Killing Ground," 2016 | Co-Producer, "Black & White & Sex," 2012, Iff Rotterdam 2012, Sydney Ff 2011, Best Experimental Film | Producer, "Hipsters," Sbs Australia, 2015)
Who is Jan Miller and how did she arrange such an organization?
It’s in Jan’s nature to look for opportunities to support the individual filmmaker, her local industry and work internationally as well. Most recently Jan served as an international consultant for the Canadian Media Production Association helping to develop their international strategy and contributing to Cmpa led delegations to Berlin and Rio de Janeiro. In March she led a delegation of 18 production companies to the Hk Filmart for Creative BC and Cmpa BC.
Jan divides her time on Tap, on international contracts, on teaching and on Wift-at.
How do you see the place of women in the film industry?
Recognizing that there was a real need in Atlantic Canada for women to come together and support, celebrate and learn from each other in the industry, I started Women in Film and Television - Atlantic which I headed up as Founding Chair and architect for six years. During this time I was working with a remarkable team to launch Women Making Waves an annual Conference that brings in the best female talent to offer master classes, panels, conversations and networking opportunities to men and women in the industry. I continue as one of the organization’s primary resources and mentors. And most recently, strongly believing that women in the industry need to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills and business strategies, I worked with Mount Saint Vincent University’s Centre for Women in Business, to launch Wift-at’s first six month Advanced Management and Mentoring Program.
Can you explain your connection to the music business?
Close to a decade ago, I was approached by Canada’s vibrant east coast music industry to adapt my pitching workshop into a program that has become “export readiness for the music industry”... During this intensive workshop I work with artists, bands and managers to develop their communication and pitch skills to present their work to international music supervisors, festival programrs and tour managers in 1-2-1 meetings. It was a very steep learning curve, but I loved the challenge of redesigning her training to fit a new market.
Can you explain your connection to romance writers?
When the Music Export Readiness workshops took off, other disciplines began approaching me to ask if I could adapt her teaching for a workshop for Romance Writers wanting to pitch to potential film and TV producers and then theatre practitioners wanting to pitch their properties internationally. My un-designed career path came full circle!
How did you come into the film world?
I first came into the entertainment industry through my theatre troupe that performed clown and mask shows internationally for 10 years as one of Canada’s cultural calling cards. During this period I successfully auditioned for a short film and the seed was planted …
What do you do in Nova Scotia? (or What did you do?)
Amazingly I call home Nova Scotia. Living 40 feet from the ocean, I connect daily to the world and travel the world almost as often. I am an international resource for the local industry and mentor talent both for the short term and long term as the demand requires. My husband and I also breed standard poodles!
How would you sum up your “portfolio”?
I am an initiator, a passionate connector devoted to helping people do what they want to do well.
After bringing the stars in alignment to launch Canada’s first national film school, the National Screen Institute and its highly regarded Features First and Drama Prize programs almost three decades ago, Jan moved from Canada’s west to the east coast where she launched Strategic Partners, Canada’s premiere international co-production market.
In Sp’s 10th year, Jan was approached by Nadja Radojevic of the The Erich Pommer Institut – Epi to partner on a brand new training concept Trans Atlantic Partners (Tap) where Jan Miller serves as its Head of Studies. Together they have developed the program in to one-of-a-kind training that brings together experienced producers from Europe, Canada and the U.S. with a team of Experts, to develop projects for international co-production and co-venturing. Tap is co-presented by the Erich Pommer Institut and the Canadian Media Production Association – Cmpa. Industry partners are Telefilm Canada and Canada Media Fund.
Always responding to the industry, Tap began with only European and Canadian involvement but both Nadja and Jan realized bringing U.S. indie producers into the mix would take the program to a whole other level. Each year, three additional producers from beyond these three ‘regions’ are also selected to participate in this two-module program.
The Tap 2015 line-up includes producers from India, Australia and Mexico. And now in its 7th year, Tap, responding to the industry needs, has opened its program to independent producers with international television series projects in development as well.
This year’s expert line-up of award winning producers include Belladonna’s René Bastian of Belladonna Productions whose film “ Cold in July” is directed by Jim Mickie, and whose newest film “Live Cargo” was presented at Ifp’s No Borders and Us in Progress this past month, K5’s Oliver Simon, Dynamic Television’s Klaus Zimmermann (“100 Code”, “Borgia”, “Death In Paradise”, “The Transporter”), international television consultant Lorri Faughan (“Pillars Of The Earth”), and Buffalo Gal’s Phyllis Laing, (“Aloft”, “Keyhole”, Heaven is for Real”) of Buffalo Gal Pictures, Canada, who was herself a Tap’er in its very first year.
Jan says that they often draw on previous Tap producer talent to come back as resources as so many have remarkable track records.
The Erich Pommer Institut of Germany is a leading training provider in the European media industry dealing with cutting-edge legal and economic topics. Nadja Radojevic, has recently moved into the CEO and Director of Training.
Epi was founded in 1998. Erich Pommer himself was the producer of “Metropolis” and “The Blue Angel”. He left Germany in the war and his grandson, Erich Pommer is a Los Angeles entertainment attorney. The Institute’s core business is advanced professional training in film and media. Aside from Trans Atlantic Partners which is held in Berlin in June and in Halifax in September post Tiff, Epi hosts a European TV Drama Series Lab following the American model with top showrunners and Scandinavian trainers. Now in its fourth edition - former editions featured Showrunners James Manos (“Sopranos”), Carol Flint (“West Wing”, “Emergency Room”), Frank Spotnitz (“The X-Files”), Simon Mirren (“Criminal Minds”) and Glen Mazzara of “Walking Dead” – David Semel, Executive Producer “Madam Secretary”, Co-Executive Producer “House MD” and Director of “The Man in the High Castle”, “Hannibal”, Hemlock Grove”, “Homeland”, “Heroes”will be trainer amongst others.
Epi also hosts Essential Legal Framework, a program consisting of three independent workshops for European professionals on negotiating, European coproduction and digital strategies. A national section for German speakers only, runs four hours a day with 20-30 seminars per year. Its focus is on media law and deals with television, film production, labor and tax revisions which – one of their best-selling seminars as there have recently been quite a lot of changes in tax law in Germany. Classes in film financing and film funding are also popular.
There is also a Copyright Policy Congress, Writers Room Simulation and other conventions featuring various current topics relevant to the media industry. In fall Epi is pioneering with Epi e:training starting with a course on European Co-Production. Epi e:training is offering crucial knowledge and business insights by top-level experts online – at your own pace and wherever and whenever you want. “We developed the online training program according to the demands of today’s media industry. It offers more flexibility and adapts to individual preferences," comments Nadja Radojevic. Epi is located at the historic Babelsberg Studios and can be found at www.epi-medieninstitut.de
Trans Atlantic Partners (Tap) is designed for experienced film and television producers from Europe, Canada and the U.S. including 3 additional seats for International producers. The 24 Tap 2015 producers below were selected by the Erich Pommer Institut (Epi) (Germany) and the Canadian Media Production Association (Cmpa) (Canada).
European Producers
-Simon Amberger, Germany (Producer, "Eastalgia", Molodist Int. Ff 2012, Tallinn Int. Ff 2013 | Producer, Blockbustaz, 2014, Winner ZDFneo TV Lab 2014 | Producer, Ada, 2014)
-Sebastien Aubert, France ("Patardzlebi" (Brides), 2014, Berlinale 2014, 3rd Audience Award)
-Rudolf Biermann, Czech Republic (Producer, "Kawasaki's Rose," 2009, Berlinale 2010, Ecumenical Award Panorama Section, Czech Lion 2010 | Executive Producer, "I Served the King of England," 2006, Berlinale 2006, Fipresci Critics Award | Producer, "Garden," 1995, Karlovy Vary Iff 1995, Jury Award)
-Jacqueline de Goeij, Belgium (Producer, "Allez, Eddy!," 2012, Chemnitz Ff, Main Prize & Diamant Award For Most Convincing Acting Performance Of A Child, Palm Springs Best of the Fest Selection | Producer, "Zus & Zo," 2002, Academy Awards, Nominee Best Foreign Language Film, Dutch Ff, Golden Calf Best Actor)
-Sylvia Günthner, Germany (Producer, "Bela Kiss: Prologue," 2013, Twisted Celluloid Ff Ireland 2013, Audi Festival of German Films Australia 2014)
-Martin Heisler, Germany (Producer, "Houston," 2013, Sundance Ff 2013, Independent Ff Boston 2013, Special Prize of the Jury | Producer "Forget Me Not," 2012, Ff Locarno, Settima Della Critica 2012, Best film | Producer "David Wants to Fly," 2010, Berlinale 2010)
-Rachel Lysaght, Ireland (Producer, "Patrick's Day," 2015, Ifta 2014, Best Script, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Sound | Producer, "One Million Dubliners," 2014, TV Award Sandford Saint Martin Trust, UK, Irish Ff Boston 2015, Director's Choice, Galway Film Fleadh Ireland 2014, Best Feature Documentary)
-Christof Neracher, Switzerland (Producer, "War" (Chrieg), 2014, San Sebastian Ff 2014, Max Ophüls 2014, Max Ophüls Prize | Producer Vitus, 2006, Shortlist Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film 2006, Berlinale 2006, AFI Fest 2006, Audience Award)
-Diarmid Scrimshaw, UK (Producer / Production Co., "Tyrannosaur," 2012, Sundance 2011, Best Director, Satellite Awards 2011, Best First Feature)
Canadian Producers
-Coral Aiken, Canada (Producer, Big Muddy, 2014, Toronto Iff 2014, Arizona Iff 2015 | Producer, "The People Garden")
-Patrick Banister, Canada (Executive Producer, "Bitten," 2014 | Executive Producer, "Whistler," 2006)
-John Barbisan, Canada (Executive Producer, "Bitten," 2014 | Executive Producer, "Whistler," 2006)
-Amy Belling, Canada (Producer / DoP / Cam Op / Post Supervisor, Songs She Wrote About People She Knows, 2014, Toronto Iff 2014, Santa Barbara Iff 2015 | Producer / DoP / Cam Op / Post Super, Stress Position, 2013, Sci Fi London 2013, Las Vegas Ff 2013, Best Cinematography / Best Supporting Actor)
-Isaac Clements, Canada (Senior Production Executive, "The Pinkertons," 2014-15 | Production Executive, "Sunnyside,"2014-15 | Associate Producer, "Silent Night," 2012)
-Jeff Kopas, Canada (Producer / Director / Writer, "An Insignificant Harvey," 2011, Busan Iff 2012, Audience Award)
-Linda Ludwick, Canada (Exec. Producer/Producer: "Mohawk Girls Season 2," 2014, Yorkton Ff 2015, Banff Media Festival 2015 | Exec. Producer/Producer, "Smoke Traders," 2012, Yorkton Ff 2013 | Exec. Producer/Producer, "Reel Injun," 2009, 3 Gemini awards 2010 | Exec. Producer/Producer, "Moose TV," 2006, "Cfpta" 2008)
-Robyn Wiener, Canada (Producer, "Numb," 2015 | Producer, "Black Fly," 2014, Viff 2014 , Marché du Film Telefilm Perspective Canada Cannes 2015| Co-Producer / Line Producer, "Lawrence & Holoman," 2013, "Viff" 2013, Best Director | Co-Producer / Line Producer, "American Mary," 2012, London Fright Ff 2012)
American Producers
-Mollye Asher, USA (Producer, "Fort Tilden," 2015, SXSW 2014 Grand Jury Prize | Producer, "She's Lost Control," Independent Spirit Award Nominee 2015, Berlinale 2014 | Producer, "Songs My Brother Taught Me," 2015, Sundance 2015, Cannes 2015)
-Diane Houslin, USA (Producer, "Yelling to the Sky," 2011)
-Tommy Oliver, USA (Producer, 1982, 2015, Toronto Ff 2013, Austin Ff 2013, Marquee Audience Award | Producer, "The Perfect Guy," 2015 | Producer, "Kinyarwanda," 2011, Sundance Ff 2011, World Audience Award, AFI Fest 2011, Audience Award)
-Riel Roch Decter, USA (Producer, "The Wait," 2014, South by Southwest 2013, Deauville 2013 | Producer, "Bottled Up," 2014, Tribeca Film Festival 2013 | Producer, "Life After Death from Above 1979," 2014.
International Producers
-Vivek Kajaria, India (Producer, "Fandry," 2014, Indian Ff of La 2014, Grand Jury Prize Best Film, Fipresci India 2014, Film Critic Award Best Indian Film 2013 | Presenter, "Anumati," 2013, National Film Award for Best Actor 2013, New York Indian Ff 2013, Best Film Award | Producer, "Siddhant," 2015, Mumbai 2014)
-Ozcar Ramirez Gonzalez, Mexico (Producer, "Ciclo," 2013, DocsDF 2012, Vancouver Latino Iff 2013, Audience Award | Producer, "The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man," 2013, Tokyo Iff 2011, La Iff 2012 | Producer, "Days of Grace," 2012, Cannes Iff 2011, Guadalajara Iff 2012, Best Director, Best Score, Press Award)
-Lisa Shaunessy, Australia (Executive Producer, "Killing Ground," 2016 | Co-Producer, "Black & White & Sex," 2012, Iff Rotterdam 2012, Sydney Ff 2011, Best Experimental Film | Producer, "Hipsters," Sbs Australia, 2015)
Who is Jan Miller and how did she arrange such an organization?
It’s in Jan’s nature to look for opportunities to support the individual filmmaker, her local industry and work internationally as well. Most recently Jan served as an international consultant for the Canadian Media Production Association helping to develop their international strategy and contributing to Cmpa led delegations to Berlin and Rio de Janeiro. In March she led a delegation of 18 production companies to the Hk Filmart for Creative BC and Cmpa BC.
Jan divides her time on Tap, on international contracts, on teaching and on Wift-at.
How do you see the place of women in the film industry?
Recognizing that there was a real need in Atlantic Canada for women to come together and support, celebrate and learn from each other in the industry, I started Women in Film and Television - Atlantic which I headed up as Founding Chair and architect for six years. During this time I was working with a remarkable team to launch Women Making Waves an annual Conference that brings in the best female talent to offer master classes, panels, conversations and networking opportunities to men and women in the industry. I continue as one of the organization’s primary resources and mentors. And most recently, strongly believing that women in the industry need to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills and business strategies, I worked with Mount Saint Vincent University’s Centre for Women in Business, to launch Wift-at’s first six month Advanced Management and Mentoring Program.
Can you explain your connection to the music business?
Close to a decade ago, I was approached by Canada’s vibrant east coast music industry to adapt my pitching workshop into a program that has become “export readiness for the music industry”... During this intensive workshop I work with artists, bands and managers to develop their communication and pitch skills to present their work to international music supervisors, festival programrs and tour managers in 1-2-1 meetings. It was a very steep learning curve, but I loved the challenge of redesigning her training to fit a new market.
Can you explain your connection to romance writers?
When the Music Export Readiness workshops took off, other disciplines began approaching me to ask if I could adapt her teaching for a workshop for Romance Writers wanting to pitch to potential film and TV producers and then theatre practitioners wanting to pitch their properties internationally. My un-designed career path came full circle!
How did you come into the film world?
I first came into the entertainment industry through my theatre troupe that performed clown and mask shows internationally for 10 years as one of Canada’s cultural calling cards. During this period I successfully auditioned for a short film and the seed was planted …
What do you do in Nova Scotia? (or What did you do?)
Amazingly I call home Nova Scotia. Living 40 feet from the ocean, I connect daily to the world and travel the world almost as often. I am an international resource for the local industry and mentor talent both for the short term and long term as the demand requires. My husband and I also breed standard poodles!
How would you sum up your “portfolio”?
I am an initiator, a passionate connector devoted to helping people do what they want to do well.
- 6/22/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
A stellar group of eight Canadian women directors, along with an ensemble of hand-picked Industry professionals, mentors, actors and crews, have been selected to attend the 19th annual Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) program, and the two-day pilot session of the Widc Whistler Film Festival Industry Immersion. Over the next two months these rising stars will develop their feature films and web series, while cultivating relationships with industry insiders along with key collaborators, and an ensemble of hand-picked professional actors and technicians. The program culminates with a technical creative master-class at The Banff Centre.
Mounting their directorial debut feature films are, from the Northwest Territories, Kirsten Carthew ("Prototype"), Manitoba-based Rebecca Gibson ("Jane Garbage"), from Ontario, Renuka Jeyapalan ("Sex with as Perfect Stranger"), and Simone Stock ("Dark Horse"), BC-based Kate Kroll, ("One.Last.Stop"), Reem Morsi ("Lips"), and Loretta Todd ("Monkey Beach'), and Pei-based, Jenna MacMillan is developing a new web series, ("Gran Bandit").
“These filmmakers are already established in their own right,” says Carol Whiteman, award-winning Widc producer. “They have won awards and fellowships, some from our collaborating partners like Women In Film, the St John’s International Women’s Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival. We all see the talent that these women possess and the potential of their projects.” “I appreciate how Widc supports women’s work and vision,” says seasoned documentary filmmaker, Loretta Todd whose sci-fi martial arts pilot Skye and Chang airs on Aptn. “Being part of Widc Sim 2.O is a significant opportunity to help me be prepared so I can be even more courageous as a director.”
This year's eight directors also benefit from the expertise of award-winning Canadian writer/directors and Widc alumnae, Katrin Bowen ("Amazon Falls," "Random Acts of Romance"), Lulu Keating ("Lucille's Ball," "The Mood Brood") who mentor in Vancouver, Deanne Foley ("Beat Down," and "Relative Happiness" premiering at Whistler Film Festival) at the Whistler Film Festival, and celebrated writer/director Gail Harvey ("Looking is the Original Sin," "Long Story Short") will be the program's Mentor Director in Banff. The line up of award-winning Widc mentors also includes director of photography, Roger Vernon ("Twilight: Breaking Dawn"), Teresa Hannigan (Rookie Blue), Jeanne Slater ("Lucille's Ball," "Evangeline"), screen-writer and Jungian expert, Dr. Carolyn Mamchur, writer/story consultant Linda Coffey ("These Arms of Mine"), and actress/acting instructor, Lori Triolo (Blackstone, Supernatural). Industry experts include, John Galway (of Harold Greenberg Fund), Maureen Levitt, (of Super Channel), independent producer, Lael McCall, (of Principia Productions), and Lauren Davis of Telefilm Canada.
The Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) program has earned an international reputation for propelling women directors’ skills, stories and careers to the next level of excellence. Creative Women Workshops Association, The Banff Centre and Actra (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) have been Widc collaborators and Telefilm Canada has been a major sponsor since the program’s 1997 inception. This is Widc’s first year collaborating with the Whistler Film Festival, with the Widc Whistler Film Festival Industry Immersion taking place on December 3 and 4.
The Festival’s online box office is now open for industry and festival passes, ticket packages, and individual film and special event tickets (until December 7). The Festival Box Office is also open for phone sales (1-877-838-film) and on November 28 for walk-in sales. Wff’s film, event and industry Summit lineup and schedules are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Westin Whistler Resort and Spa is Wff’s official host hotel. Wff has 17 accommodation partners to choose from that offer special rates to Whistler Film Festival attendees. Book your accommodation early to ensure your perfect match and price. For information, go to whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, Elle Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, The Harold Greenburg Fund, Cineplex, CTV, Pandora, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb, Promosa and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
About Widc – Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) is an internationally respected Canadian professional development offering, specially designed to advance the skills, careers and screen projects of women directors. With nearly 200 director alumnae across Canada, Widc is presented in partnership by Creative Women Workshops Association, The Banff Centre and Actra, with major support from Telefilm Canada, William F. White Intl., and with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des Arts du Canada, Panavision Canada, Sim Digital, Clairmont Camera Film and Digital, North Shore Studios, The Bridge Studios, Vancouver Film Studios, Front Row Insurance, Banff World Media Festival, Actra Fraternal Benefit Society, Ubcp/Actra, Actra Alberta, Iatse 669, Iatse 212, Independent Production Fund, Wift Vancouver, Female Eye Film Festival, St John’s International Women’s Film Festival and Whistler Film Festival. Director’s chair sponsors include Creative BC, BC Arts Council, Wiftv. Find out more at www.widc.ca www.facebook.com/widc.ca @WIDC_ca #Widc enquiries@creativewomenworkshops.com
About the Whistler Film Festival: From December 3 to 7, 2014, the Whistler Film Festival (Wff) will celebrate its 14th edition as one of Canada's leading festivals. Featuring innovative and original films from around the world and opportunities to connect with the people who made them, this year’s five day Festival will be filled with a solid lineup of premieres, star-studded guests, lively celebrations and unique industry initiatives. Find out more at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.
About the Whistler Film Festival Society: The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
Mounting their directorial debut feature films are, from the Northwest Territories, Kirsten Carthew ("Prototype"), Manitoba-based Rebecca Gibson ("Jane Garbage"), from Ontario, Renuka Jeyapalan ("Sex with as Perfect Stranger"), and Simone Stock ("Dark Horse"), BC-based Kate Kroll, ("One.Last.Stop"), Reem Morsi ("Lips"), and Loretta Todd ("Monkey Beach'), and Pei-based, Jenna MacMillan is developing a new web series, ("Gran Bandit").
“These filmmakers are already established in their own right,” says Carol Whiteman, award-winning Widc producer. “They have won awards and fellowships, some from our collaborating partners like Women In Film, the St John’s International Women’s Film Festival, and the Whistler Film Festival. We all see the talent that these women possess and the potential of their projects.” “I appreciate how Widc supports women’s work and vision,” says seasoned documentary filmmaker, Loretta Todd whose sci-fi martial arts pilot Skye and Chang airs on Aptn. “Being part of Widc Sim 2.O is a significant opportunity to help me be prepared so I can be even more courageous as a director.”
This year's eight directors also benefit from the expertise of award-winning Canadian writer/directors and Widc alumnae, Katrin Bowen ("Amazon Falls," "Random Acts of Romance"), Lulu Keating ("Lucille's Ball," "The Mood Brood") who mentor in Vancouver, Deanne Foley ("Beat Down," and "Relative Happiness" premiering at Whistler Film Festival) at the Whistler Film Festival, and celebrated writer/director Gail Harvey ("Looking is the Original Sin," "Long Story Short") will be the program's Mentor Director in Banff. The line up of award-winning Widc mentors also includes director of photography, Roger Vernon ("Twilight: Breaking Dawn"), Teresa Hannigan (Rookie Blue), Jeanne Slater ("Lucille's Ball," "Evangeline"), screen-writer and Jungian expert, Dr. Carolyn Mamchur, writer/story consultant Linda Coffey ("These Arms of Mine"), and actress/acting instructor, Lori Triolo (Blackstone, Supernatural). Industry experts include, John Galway (of Harold Greenberg Fund), Maureen Levitt, (of Super Channel), independent producer, Lael McCall, (of Principia Productions), and Lauren Davis of Telefilm Canada.
The Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) program has earned an international reputation for propelling women directors’ skills, stories and careers to the next level of excellence. Creative Women Workshops Association, The Banff Centre and Actra (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) have been Widc collaborators and Telefilm Canada has been a major sponsor since the program’s 1997 inception. This is Widc’s first year collaborating with the Whistler Film Festival, with the Widc Whistler Film Festival Industry Immersion taking place on December 3 and 4.
The Festival’s online box office is now open for industry and festival passes, ticket packages, and individual film and special event tickets (until December 7). The Festival Box Office is also open for phone sales (1-877-838-film) and on November 28 for walk-in sales. Wff’s film, event and industry Summit lineup and schedules are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Westin Whistler Resort and Spa is Wff’s official host hotel. Wff has 17 accommodation partners to choose from that offer special rates to Whistler Film Festival attendees. Book your accommodation early to ensure your perfect match and price. For information, go to whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, Elle Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, The Harold Greenburg Fund, Cineplex, CTV, Pandora, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb, Promosa and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
About Widc – Women In the Director’s Chair (Widc) is an internationally respected Canadian professional development offering, specially designed to advance the skills, careers and screen projects of women directors. With nearly 200 director alumnae across Canada, Widc is presented in partnership by Creative Women Workshops Association, The Banff Centre and Actra, with major support from Telefilm Canada, William F. White Intl., and with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des Arts du Canada, Panavision Canada, Sim Digital, Clairmont Camera Film and Digital, North Shore Studios, The Bridge Studios, Vancouver Film Studios, Front Row Insurance, Banff World Media Festival, Actra Fraternal Benefit Society, Ubcp/Actra, Actra Alberta, Iatse 669, Iatse 212, Independent Production Fund, Wift Vancouver, Female Eye Film Festival, St John’s International Women’s Film Festival and Whistler Film Festival. Director’s chair sponsors include Creative BC, BC Arts Council, Wiftv. Find out more at www.widc.ca www.facebook.com/widc.ca @WIDC_ca #Widc enquiries@creativewomenworkshops.com
About the Whistler Film Festival: From December 3 to 7, 2014, the Whistler Film Festival (Wff) will celebrate its 14th edition as one of Canada's leading festivals. Featuring innovative and original films from around the world and opportunities to connect with the people who made them, this year’s five day Festival will be filled with a solid lineup of premieres, star-studded guests, lively celebrations and unique industry initiatives. Find out more at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.
About the Whistler Film Festival Society: The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
- 12/1/2014
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
The countdown has begun to Whistler’s 14th annual cinematic celebration. The Whistler Film Festival (Wff) returns December 3 to 7, 2014 and with just 16 weeks to go, the Festival is proud to offer a sneak peek at the first round of confirmed films and industry program highlights.
Located in North America’s premiere destination mountain resort, the Whistler Film Festival combines an international film competition with a screen-based industry Summit to address the ever-evolving landscape of the digital age. The Festival hosts filmmaking luminaries for an intimate, five-day program featuring up to 90 original films from Canada and around the world, including filmmaker tributes, special events and industry initiatives. Recognized by filmmakers and film lovers alike as one of Canada’s most important showcases for film, Wff is a place where artists are celebrated, audiences are inspired, new ideas are discussed and business opportunities are solidified.
Wff’s Director of Programming and industry veteran Paul Gratton has this to say about the 2014 lineup: "The Whistler Film Festival continues to be a must-attend event for hip, young film buffs and emerging filmmakers, and we are pleased to carve out our own unique niche by offering an impressive selection of Canadian premieres. This year's titles will cast a wide net in terms of subject matter, and our Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year. Wff will have something for everyone.”
The Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia celebrates its 11th anniversary this year offering the second largest cash film festival prize for a Canadian film in the country, with additional awards for Best Performance, Best Screenwriting and Best Direction.
Opening the Borsos competition this year will be the World Premiere of Cameron Labine’s BC filmed comedy "Mountain Men" starring Chace Crawford and Tyler Labine as estranged brothers who journey to their family cabin in the middle of winter. When the cabin accidentally burns to the ground, what started as a fun weekend quickly goes from bad to worse. The brothers find themselves fighting for survival as they perilously try to find their way down the mountain, all while rehashing family memories and challenged by sibling rivalry.
The breathtaking scenery of Nova Scotia is showcased in Wff's second Borsos competition film, the Western Premiere of "Relative Happiness" directed by first-time, female feature filmmaker Deanne Foley. Starring Australian actress Melissa Bergland and Wff alumni Aaron Poole, the romantic comedy tells the story of feisty but somewhat oversized bed and breakfast owner Lexie Ivy, who is tasked with finding a date to her sister’s wedding.
Other confirmed films include the World Premiere of the hilarious mockumentary "After Film School," by Vancouver filmmaker Joel Ashton McCarthy, who enlisted the help of over 100 local volunteers and featured original music from local musicians. It asks the question of young filmmakers everywhere, “What happens after film school?” The answer is a movie within a movie: "High School Shootings: The Musical."
"The Cocksure Lads Movie," also having its World Premiere at WFF14, is a fun musical in the style of Cliff Richards about a British boy band that travels to Toronto for a gig, only to split up hours after landing. Directed by Murray Foster, a former member of band Moxy Fruvous, the film features songs written by Murray over a twenty-year period in honor of his love for 1960s Britpop.
Canadian premieres include the comedy thriller "What an Idiot" from Vancouver husband-wife duo Peter and Julia Benson, featuring the story of a man pretending to be gay to get near his hot, new boss at work, and documentary "That Guy Dick Miller," chronicling the life of veteran character actor Dick Miller, which had its World Premiere at South by Southwest this year.
Wff’s World Documentary Competition will include "The Backward Class," the 2014 Audience Award winner at Hot Docs that follows a class of poverty-stricken children from India’s “untouchable class” as they are separated from their families for more than 13 years to receive an education, facing the pressure to succeed while preparing for college entrance exams.
Wff’s Family program we will feature the 24th film in Rock Demers’ Tales for All series,"The Outlaw League," about a group of scruffy kids who want to turn the local junkyard into a baseball diamond. The film broke box office records in New Brunswick and will be a Western Canadian premiere.
Wff’s second From the Vault program will feature three newly discovered long-lost shorts "Cold Comfort, Insomnia is Good for You" and "Dearth of a Salesman" -- from comic legend Peter Sellers, which played 1950s UK theater screens as an addition to the main programming.
Other official selections featuring wilderness settings include the Western Canadian premiere of family drama "We Were Wolves" by director Jordan Canning, about two brothers who reconcile at the family cabin following the death of their father, and "Backcountry" directed by Adam MacDonald and starring Rookie Blue actress Missy Peregrym in a true story about two campers who are viciously attacked by a black bear. The bear attack footage was shot in Squamish, BC.
Western Canadian premiere "I Put a Hit on You" stars Aaron Ashmore and Sara Canning as a separated couple who team up to stop the hit man she accidentally hired to kill him and comes to Wff from the 2014 Slamdance Film Festival. The BC Premiere of dark comedy-thriller "Ally Was Screaming" directed by Jeremy Thomas and starring Camille Sullivan follows a couple of buddies who discover a late friend's winning multi-million dollar lottery ticket and how they deal with what stands in the way of their prize. Both will be featured in Wff’s Discoveries strand.
These films are but a few tantalizing offerings that represent what audiences can expect from this year's exciting lineup. Wff is still seeking submissions for its 14th edition. Canadian and International filmmakers are invited to submit films of all lengths and genres by the extended deadline of September 19.
Wff’s Summit will feature three concentrated days of business programs and networking events where industry-goers can delve into cinema’s converging fields of art, technology and commerce. Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the international and domestic film communities while addressing crossing borders and platforms in the digital age, Whistler is the place to be, connect and deal.
Project development programs include Wff’s Feature Project Lab, an intense four-day business and marketplace immersion experience for six Canadian producers, which focuses on strengthening dramatic feature projects from script to screen by facilitating feedback, collaboration and investment in film projects that have Us and international appeal.
Writer-producer teams are invited to submit their feature film story ideas for this year's third consecutive China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, a dynamic pitching competition designed to stimulate international financing for Canadian creators to participate in a China-Canada co-production. The competition will introduce up to 12 experienced writer/producer teams to Chinese studios with production financing on the table for three selected projects.
New for 2014 , the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab is an intense five-day workshop presented by the Whistler Film Festival and Praxis Centre for Screenwriters. Designed to advance Canadian creative talent, the Lab focuses on strengthening feature length scripts by facilitating feedback and mentorship from veteran screenwriters and story editors. Up to eight screenwriters will be invited to participate.
Wff’s Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship , a creative and business immersion experience designed to advance Canadian Aboriginal creative talent, focuses on strengthening short script projects by facilitating feedback from mentors who are successful and well-respected members of the Canadian film community. Up to four Aboriginal filmmakers from British Columbia will be invited to participate in the 2014 Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship with a call for applications opening September 1.
The Mppia Short Film Award, a partnership initiative of Mppia, Creative BC, and the Whistler Film Festival for BC filmmakers , returns for its 8th edition as part of Wff’s ShortWork Lab, providing one filmmaker with the opportunity to develop his/her directing career by realizing a unique creative vision in a short film project. Five short-listed candidates will pitch their projects at the 2014 Festival, and the winning film will have its world premiere at Wff 2015.
Application details and information for all Wff industry and project development programs are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, Elle Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
About the Whistler Film Festival Society
The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com .
About Whistler
Located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, and just two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada’s premier, year-round destination. Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world. In short, Whistler has everything you will ever need to have the time of your life and so much more. Find out more at whistler.com .
Located in North America’s premiere destination mountain resort, the Whistler Film Festival combines an international film competition with a screen-based industry Summit to address the ever-evolving landscape of the digital age. The Festival hosts filmmaking luminaries for an intimate, five-day program featuring up to 90 original films from Canada and around the world, including filmmaker tributes, special events and industry initiatives. Recognized by filmmakers and film lovers alike as one of Canada’s most important showcases for film, Wff is a place where artists are celebrated, audiences are inspired, new ideas are discussed and business opportunities are solidified.
Wff’s Director of Programming and industry veteran Paul Gratton has this to say about the 2014 lineup: "The Whistler Film Festival continues to be a must-attend event for hip, young film buffs and emerging filmmakers, and we are pleased to carve out our own unique niche by offering an impressive selection of Canadian premieres. This year's titles will cast a wide net in terms of subject matter, and our Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year. Wff will have something for everyone.”
The Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia celebrates its 11th anniversary this year offering the second largest cash film festival prize for a Canadian film in the country, with additional awards for Best Performance, Best Screenwriting and Best Direction.
Opening the Borsos competition this year will be the World Premiere of Cameron Labine’s BC filmed comedy "Mountain Men" starring Chace Crawford and Tyler Labine as estranged brothers who journey to their family cabin in the middle of winter. When the cabin accidentally burns to the ground, what started as a fun weekend quickly goes from bad to worse. The brothers find themselves fighting for survival as they perilously try to find their way down the mountain, all while rehashing family memories and challenged by sibling rivalry.
The breathtaking scenery of Nova Scotia is showcased in Wff's second Borsos competition film, the Western Premiere of "Relative Happiness" directed by first-time, female feature filmmaker Deanne Foley. Starring Australian actress Melissa Bergland and Wff alumni Aaron Poole, the romantic comedy tells the story of feisty but somewhat oversized bed and breakfast owner Lexie Ivy, who is tasked with finding a date to her sister’s wedding.
Other confirmed films include the World Premiere of the hilarious mockumentary "After Film School," by Vancouver filmmaker Joel Ashton McCarthy, who enlisted the help of over 100 local volunteers and featured original music from local musicians. It asks the question of young filmmakers everywhere, “What happens after film school?” The answer is a movie within a movie: "High School Shootings: The Musical."
"The Cocksure Lads Movie," also having its World Premiere at WFF14, is a fun musical in the style of Cliff Richards about a British boy band that travels to Toronto for a gig, only to split up hours after landing. Directed by Murray Foster, a former member of band Moxy Fruvous, the film features songs written by Murray over a twenty-year period in honor of his love for 1960s Britpop.
Canadian premieres include the comedy thriller "What an Idiot" from Vancouver husband-wife duo Peter and Julia Benson, featuring the story of a man pretending to be gay to get near his hot, new boss at work, and documentary "That Guy Dick Miller," chronicling the life of veteran character actor Dick Miller, which had its World Premiere at South by Southwest this year.
Wff’s World Documentary Competition will include "The Backward Class," the 2014 Audience Award winner at Hot Docs that follows a class of poverty-stricken children from India’s “untouchable class” as they are separated from their families for more than 13 years to receive an education, facing the pressure to succeed while preparing for college entrance exams.
Wff’s Family program we will feature the 24th film in Rock Demers’ Tales for All series,"The Outlaw League," about a group of scruffy kids who want to turn the local junkyard into a baseball diamond. The film broke box office records in New Brunswick and will be a Western Canadian premiere.
Wff’s second From the Vault program will feature three newly discovered long-lost shorts "Cold Comfort, Insomnia is Good for You" and "Dearth of a Salesman" -- from comic legend Peter Sellers, which played 1950s UK theater screens as an addition to the main programming.
Other official selections featuring wilderness settings include the Western Canadian premiere of family drama "We Were Wolves" by director Jordan Canning, about two brothers who reconcile at the family cabin following the death of their father, and "Backcountry" directed by Adam MacDonald and starring Rookie Blue actress Missy Peregrym in a true story about two campers who are viciously attacked by a black bear. The bear attack footage was shot in Squamish, BC.
Western Canadian premiere "I Put a Hit on You" stars Aaron Ashmore and Sara Canning as a separated couple who team up to stop the hit man she accidentally hired to kill him and comes to Wff from the 2014 Slamdance Film Festival. The BC Premiere of dark comedy-thriller "Ally Was Screaming" directed by Jeremy Thomas and starring Camille Sullivan follows a couple of buddies who discover a late friend's winning multi-million dollar lottery ticket and how they deal with what stands in the way of their prize. Both will be featured in Wff’s Discoveries strand.
These films are but a few tantalizing offerings that represent what audiences can expect from this year's exciting lineup. Wff is still seeking submissions for its 14th edition. Canadian and International filmmakers are invited to submit films of all lengths and genres by the extended deadline of September 19.
Wff’s Summit will feature three concentrated days of business programs and networking events where industry-goers can delve into cinema’s converging fields of art, technology and commerce. Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the international and domestic film communities while addressing crossing borders and platforms in the digital age, Whistler is the place to be, connect and deal.
Project development programs include Wff’s Feature Project Lab, an intense four-day business and marketplace immersion experience for six Canadian producers, which focuses on strengthening dramatic feature projects from script to screen by facilitating feedback, collaboration and investment in film projects that have Us and international appeal.
Writer-producer teams are invited to submit their feature film story ideas for this year's third consecutive China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, a dynamic pitching competition designed to stimulate international financing for Canadian creators to participate in a China-Canada co-production. The competition will introduce up to 12 experienced writer/producer teams to Chinese studios with production financing on the table for three selected projects.
New for 2014 , the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab is an intense five-day workshop presented by the Whistler Film Festival and Praxis Centre for Screenwriters. Designed to advance Canadian creative talent, the Lab focuses on strengthening feature length scripts by facilitating feedback and mentorship from veteran screenwriters and story editors. Up to eight screenwriters will be invited to participate.
Wff’s Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship , a creative and business immersion experience designed to advance Canadian Aboriginal creative talent, focuses on strengthening short script projects by facilitating feedback from mentors who are successful and well-respected members of the Canadian film community. Up to four Aboriginal filmmakers from British Columbia will be invited to participate in the 2014 Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship with a call for applications opening September 1.
The Mppia Short Film Award, a partnership initiative of Mppia, Creative BC, and the Whistler Film Festival for BC filmmakers , returns for its 8th edition as part of Wff’s ShortWork Lab, providing one filmmaker with the opportunity to develop his/her directing career by realizing a unique creative vision in a short film project. Five short-listed candidates will pitch their projects at the 2014 Festival, and the winning film will have its world premiere at Wff 2015.
Application details and information for all Wff industry and project development programs are available at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, Elle Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, Sorel, Columbia, Whistler Blackcomb and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
About the Whistler Film Festival Society
The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs for Canadian filmmakers. Find out more at whistlerfilmfestival.com .
About Whistler
Located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, and just two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada’s premier, year-round destination. Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world. In short, Whistler has everything you will ever need to have the time of your life and so much more. Find out more at whistler.com .
- 8/15/2014
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Syfy has renewed “Bitten” for a 10-episode second season. The series, from independent studio Entertainment One, will return to Syfy in 2015. During its first season on Syfy, “Bitten” averaged 1.1 million total viewers, according to Live +7 data. Also read: Starz’ ‘Spartacus’ to Fight Again on Syfy Based on the “Women of the Otherworld” novels by Kelley Armstrong, “Bitten” stars Laura Vandervoort (“Smallville”) as Elena Michaels, the lone female werewolf in existence. The show also stars Greg Bryk (“A History Of Violence”), Greyston Holt (“Alcatraz”), Steve Lund (“Being Erica”) and Michael Xavier (“The Best Years”). “Bitten” is executive produced by J.B. Sugar...
- 5/30/2014
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
We tried really hard to watch "Bitten" on Syfy, but the experience proved to be too painful for us to endure. Apparently we were in the minority because the toothy little series has just gotten an order for a second season. Read on for details.
From the Press Release
Space announced today it has ordered a second season of the sexy, high-octane thriller "Bitten," Space’s most-watched original series ever.
Picking up after an exhilarating Season 1 finale, Space has ordered 10 additional one-hour episodes from No Equal Entertainment, Entertainment One Television, and Hoodwink Entertainment. Production is expected to begin this summer and will once again be shot on location in Toronto, Hamilton, and Hespeler. Viewers who have yet to join The Pack can catch encore episodes Sundays at 11 p.m. Et on Space following new episodes of the bewitching series "Salem" at 10 p.m. Et. The entire first season of the...
From the Press Release
Space announced today it has ordered a second season of the sexy, high-octane thriller "Bitten," Space’s most-watched original series ever.
Picking up after an exhilarating Season 1 finale, Space has ordered 10 additional one-hour episodes from No Equal Entertainment, Entertainment One Television, and Hoodwink Entertainment. Production is expected to begin this summer and will once again be shot on location in Toronto, Hamilton, and Hespeler. Viewers who have yet to join The Pack can catch encore episodes Sundays at 11 p.m. Et on Space following new episodes of the bewitching series "Salem" at 10 p.m. Et. The entire first season of the...
- 5/22/2014
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
I have just returned from a lovely and instructive time, my third year in a row, at Whistler.
It was 'cool' in all meanings of that term. Whistler itself is a cozy, comfortable BC Canadian town, a few hours drive up from Vancouver.
It is high in the mountains so it is frigid, but with the right clothes and knowing where one is going then no damage is done. I survived and treasure the memories of this year's event.
I bonded with longtime biz pals Kirk D'Amico of Myriad, Steve Gaydos of Variety and Jon Gerrans of Us distributor Strand Releasing. Shauna Hardy Mishaw, founder and Fest Head was, as always gracious and it was great fun to see her again.
The films were good and the 'film biz' panels relevant. I moderated one on New Distribution featuring Canadian companies discussing their outlook in the new digital cinema age.
There were some stars there and very comfortable presentations and panel discussions.
The Festival supplied the following items: BC-bred talent Jason Priestley discussed his directorial debut Cas & Dylan during a special In Conversation hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos.
Oscar winning actor Richard Dreyfuss joined Priestley for the Opening Gala presentation of Cas & Dylan, and discussed his starring role in the film and career highlights during a special Tribute event with Variety’s VP and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos.
Oscar winner and star of this year’s box office hit Prisoners, Melissa Leo graced the Festival’s red carpets as Wff’s Luminary honoree.
Actresses Ali Liebert and Emily Hampshire were both honored as Wff’s Stars to Watch awards at this year’s Spotlight On event presented by Elle Canada.
I particularly enjoyed Gaydos' panel on screenwriting. Seven out of the Variety 10 Screenwriters To Watch were in Whistler to receive recognition and chat to Variety’s VP Steven Gaydos’s. Screenwriters included Andrew Dodge (Bad Words); Kieran Fitzgerald (Bambi); Morgan David Foehl (The Asset); Barbara Marshall (The Exorcism Diaries); Michael Mitnick (The Giver); Jonathan Tropper (One Last Thing Before I Go); and Canadian Elan Mastai (The F Word).
The Wff Audience Award went to Jason Priestley’s charming road movie Cas & Dylan, one of six contenders in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature which features a heart-warming turn by movie icon Richard Dreyfuss and another scene-stealing performance by Tatiana Maslany, who won Best Performance in a Borsos Competition film for the second year running.
The Wff Audience Award runner up went to The Grand Seduction, a Canadian comedy directed by Don McKellar and written by Ken Scott. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.
"This was a transformative year for the Whistler Film Festival, audiences and critics alike responded extremely well to our industry Summit and incredible line-up of films - half of which were Canadian,” says Paul Gratton, Wff’s Director of Programming. “Audiences were more enthusiastic than ever before, cross border business was done, and the caliber of celebrities that graced our presence was incredible. Our two Academy Award winners, Richard Dreyfuss and Melissa Leo were beyond inspiring, and Jason Priestley’s directorial debut with Cas & Dylan was a hit among industry executives and the public. We are very excited to carry this success forward for Wff 2014.”
The Whistler Film Festival celebrated its 13th edition as one of Canada's leading festivals from December 4 to December 8 with an intimate five-day program of screenings, tributes, special events and industry initiatives. Wff showcased 84 films consisting of 42 features and 42 shorts on five screens in four theatres over five amazing days including 19 World Premieres, 19 Canadian Premieres, 1 English Canadian Premiere, 34 Western Canadian Premieres, 3 British Columbian Premieres, and 7 Whistler Premieres. 51% of the features and 60% of the short films were Canadian. Films from 14 countries were screened including Canada, USA, UK, China, Austria, France, Denmark, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Brazil, Sweden, Latvia and Mexico. Total attendance, including industry insiders, was on par with 2012 despite venue changes at 9,494 attendees (9,964 in 2012), including 628 delegates (a 13% increase compared to 556 in 2012).
The Festival continued to support cinematic excellence and awarded $31,500 in cash prizes and commissions. The Husband, by director Bruce McDonald, won the coveted $15,000 Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature. The $1,000 Canadian ShortWork Award went to Anxious Oswald Greene, directed by Marshall Axani. The $500 ShortWork Student Award went to Backward Fall by Ubc student Andrew Pollins. The Mppia Short Film Award presented by Mppia and Creative BC was won by Nick Citton for The Future Perfect, and consists of a $15,000 cash prize plus up to $100,000 in production services.
Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 20 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television and digital media industry including the second consecutive China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, and Wff’s new Feature Project Lab and Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship. Sessions were complimented by networking opportunities including one-on-one meetings, roundtable sessions and receptions. Overall, Summit attendance was at 78% capacity with 1,331 attendees, representing a 20% increase over 2012 (1,112 in 2012). In addition to the scheduled meetings that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, the USA and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business. Wff announced three Canadian film projects that will move into development with Chinese production financing. There were several other deal discussions that began at the Festival both with China and other international investors.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. Bell Media (CTV, Etalk, E!) is Wff’s lead partner. Wff is sponsored by Variety, Transcontinental Media (Elle Canada), the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, American Airlines, Sorel, Christie, Zoom Audio Visual Networks, Promosa Management, Tourism Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a cultural charitable organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada’s leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering professional and project development programs for filmmakers.
It was 'cool' in all meanings of that term. Whistler itself is a cozy, comfortable BC Canadian town, a few hours drive up from Vancouver.
It is high in the mountains so it is frigid, but with the right clothes and knowing where one is going then no damage is done. I survived and treasure the memories of this year's event.
I bonded with longtime biz pals Kirk D'Amico of Myriad, Steve Gaydos of Variety and Jon Gerrans of Us distributor Strand Releasing. Shauna Hardy Mishaw, founder and Fest Head was, as always gracious and it was great fun to see her again.
The films were good and the 'film biz' panels relevant. I moderated one on New Distribution featuring Canadian companies discussing their outlook in the new digital cinema age.
There were some stars there and very comfortable presentations and panel discussions.
The Festival supplied the following items: BC-bred talent Jason Priestley discussed his directorial debut Cas & Dylan during a special In Conversation hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos.
Oscar winning actor Richard Dreyfuss joined Priestley for the Opening Gala presentation of Cas & Dylan, and discussed his starring role in the film and career highlights during a special Tribute event with Variety’s VP and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos.
Oscar winner and star of this year’s box office hit Prisoners, Melissa Leo graced the Festival’s red carpets as Wff’s Luminary honoree.
Actresses Ali Liebert and Emily Hampshire were both honored as Wff’s Stars to Watch awards at this year’s Spotlight On event presented by Elle Canada.
I particularly enjoyed Gaydos' panel on screenwriting. Seven out of the Variety 10 Screenwriters To Watch were in Whistler to receive recognition and chat to Variety’s VP Steven Gaydos’s. Screenwriters included Andrew Dodge (Bad Words); Kieran Fitzgerald (Bambi); Morgan David Foehl (The Asset); Barbara Marshall (The Exorcism Diaries); Michael Mitnick (The Giver); Jonathan Tropper (One Last Thing Before I Go); and Canadian Elan Mastai (The F Word).
The Wff Audience Award went to Jason Priestley’s charming road movie Cas & Dylan, one of six contenders in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature which features a heart-warming turn by movie icon Richard Dreyfuss and another scene-stealing performance by Tatiana Maslany, who won Best Performance in a Borsos Competition film for the second year running.
The Wff Audience Award runner up went to The Grand Seduction, a Canadian comedy directed by Don McKellar and written by Ken Scott. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.
"This was a transformative year for the Whistler Film Festival, audiences and critics alike responded extremely well to our industry Summit and incredible line-up of films - half of which were Canadian,” says Paul Gratton, Wff’s Director of Programming. “Audiences were more enthusiastic than ever before, cross border business was done, and the caliber of celebrities that graced our presence was incredible. Our two Academy Award winners, Richard Dreyfuss and Melissa Leo were beyond inspiring, and Jason Priestley’s directorial debut with Cas & Dylan was a hit among industry executives and the public. We are very excited to carry this success forward for Wff 2014.”
The Whistler Film Festival celebrated its 13th edition as one of Canada's leading festivals from December 4 to December 8 with an intimate five-day program of screenings, tributes, special events and industry initiatives. Wff showcased 84 films consisting of 42 features and 42 shorts on five screens in four theatres over five amazing days including 19 World Premieres, 19 Canadian Premieres, 1 English Canadian Premiere, 34 Western Canadian Premieres, 3 British Columbian Premieres, and 7 Whistler Premieres. 51% of the features and 60% of the short films were Canadian. Films from 14 countries were screened including Canada, USA, UK, China, Austria, France, Denmark, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Brazil, Sweden, Latvia and Mexico. Total attendance, including industry insiders, was on par with 2012 despite venue changes at 9,494 attendees (9,964 in 2012), including 628 delegates (a 13% increase compared to 556 in 2012).
The Festival continued to support cinematic excellence and awarded $31,500 in cash prizes and commissions. The Husband, by director Bruce McDonald, won the coveted $15,000 Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature. The $1,000 Canadian ShortWork Award went to Anxious Oswald Greene, directed by Marshall Axani. The $500 ShortWork Student Award went to Backward Fall by Ubc student Andrew Pollins. The Mppia Short Film Award presented by Mppia and Creative BC was won by Nick Citton for The Future Perfect, and consists of a $15,000 cash prize plus up to $100,000 in production services.
Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 20 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television and digital media industry including the second consecutive China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, and Wff’s new Feature Project Lab and Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship. Sessions were complimented by networking opportunities including one-on-one meetings, roundtable sessions and receptions. Overall, Summit attendance was at 78% capacity with 1,331 attendees, representing a 20% increase over 2012 (1,112 in 2012). In addition to the scheduled meetings that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, the USA and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business. Wff announced three Canadian film projects that will move into development with Chinese production financing. There were several other deal discussions that began at the Festival both with China and other international investors.
The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. Bell Media (CTV, Etalk, E!) is Wff’s lead partner. Wff is sponsored by Variety, Transcontinental Media (Elle Canada), the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, Creative BC, American Airlines, Sorel, Christie, Zoom Audio Visual Networks, Promosa Management, Tourism Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a cultural charitable organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada’s leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering professional and project development programs for filmmakers.
- 12/12/2013
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Your Weekly Source for the Newest Releases to Blu-Ray Tuesday, August 16th, 2011
Agent 8 3/4 (1964)
Directed by: Ralph Thomas
Starring: Dirk Bogarde, Sylva Koscina, Robert Morley
Synopsis: Unemployed Czech-speaking writer Nicholas Whistler thinks he’s got a job visiting Prague for a bit of industrial espionage. In fact he is now in the employ of British Intelligence. His pretty chauffeuse on arrival behind the Iron Curtain, Comrade Simonova, is herself a Czech agent. Just as well she’s immediately attracted to 007′s unwitting replacement. [highdefdigest.com]
Special Features: Unknown.
Armed And Dangerous (1986)
Directed by: Mark L. Lester
Starring: John Candy, Eugene Levy, Meg Ryan, Robert Loggia
Synopsis: Dooley, a cop wrongly sacked for corruption, teams up with a useless defense lawyer in their new careers… as security guards. When the two are made fall guys for a robbery at a location they are guarding, the pair begin to investigate corruption within the company and their union.
Agent 8 3/4 (1964)
Directed by: Ralph Thomas
Starring: Dirk Bogarde, Sylva Koscina, Robert Morley
Synopsis: Unemployed Czech-speaking writer Nicholas Whistler thinks he’s got a job visiting Prague for a bit of industrial espionage. In fact he is now in the employ of British Intelligence. His pretty chauffeuse on arrival behind the Iron Curtain, Comrade Simonova, is herself a Czech agent. Just as well she’s immediately attracted to 007′s unwitting replacement. [highdefdigest.com]
Special Features: Unknown.
Armed And Dangerous (1986)
Directed by: Mark L. Lester
Starring: John Candy, Eugene Levy, Meg Ryan, Robert Loggia
Synopsis: Dooley, a cop wrongly sacked for corruption, teams up with a useless defense lawyer in their new careers… as security guards. When the two are made fall guys for a robbery at a location they are guarding, the pair begin to investigate corruption within the company and their union.
- 8/15/2011
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Adam Harrington has signed up for a guest role in The CW's pilot Secret Circle. The drama stars Britt Robertson as Cassie, a girl who moves to Salem and discovers that she is a witch. Zap2It reports that Harrington has now joined the cast as a guest star and will play Ethan, the father of Thomas Dekker's character Adam. Harrington has previously appeared in shows including Dexter, Queer As Folk USA and Whistler. Meanwhile, Snakes (more)...
- 4/12/2011
- by By Catriona Wightman
- Digital Spy
At last, CTV, a Canadian TV network, has announced that Flashpoint's third season will premiere on Friday, August 6 at 10 Pm. Moreover, the network has also revealed juicy details about the first two episodes of Flashpoint.
This Canadian show follows a tactical unit of the Toronto's police department (Hugh Dillon, Amy Jo Johnson, David Paetkau, Enrico Colantoni, Sergio Di Zio, Michael Cram and Olunike Adeliyi).
In the first episode entitled "Severed Ties", Maggie Perrello (Kelly Rowan) was the perfect mother until an addiction to prescription meds spiraled out of control. It cost Maggie a stint in jail, and the loss of her beloved daughters Becky and Riley into foster care. Now she’s out of jail, clean and sober, and yearns to bring her children home but when Maggie discovers that she can’t have her kids back, she turns desperate and kidnaps Becky and Riley.
In the second episode...
This Canadian show follows a tactical unit of the Toronto's police department (Hugh Dillon, Amy Jo Johnson, David Paetkau, Enrico Colantoni, Sergio Di Zio, Michael Cram and Olunike Adeliyi).
In the first episode entitled "Severed Ties", Maggie Perrello (Kelly Rowan) was the perfect mother until an addiction to prescription meds spiraled out of control. It cost Maggie a stint in jail, and the loss of her beloved daughters Becky and Riley into foster care. Now she’s out of jail, clean and sober, and yearns to bring her children home but when Maggie discovers that she can’t have her kids back, she turns desperate and kidnaps Becky and Riley.
In the second episode...
- 7/20/2010
- by anhkhoido@hotmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
Toronto -- Like a general keeping his army working, moving and communicating, Canadian sports broadcaster Rick Chisholm is directing traffic among 1,400 production staff and crew in the throes of preparation for the Vancouver Olympics.
As executive vp broadcasting for Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, comprising 12 Canuck networks, Chisholm knows the Feb. 12-28 Games, with so much splash and spectacle in Canada's own backyard, could well become the most-watched event in Canadian TV history.
"The world's watching your city and your country, and you want to make sure your country represents itself well," he said.
Canadian expertise in producing hockey, figure skating, curling and short track speed skating telecasts means Chisholm his team will provide core feeds of those marquee events to the Ioc's Olympic Broadcasting Service, the host broadcaster for the 2010 Olympics.
That has Chisholm overseeing from his base at the Ioc's International Broadcast Center (Ibc) in Vancouver six standing...
As executive vp broadcasting for Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, comprising 12 Canuck networks, Chisholm knows the Feb. 12-28 Games, with so much splash and spectacle in Canada's own backyard, could well become the most-watched event in Canadian TV history.
"The world's watching your city and your country, and you want to make sure your country represents itself well," he said.
Canadian expertise in producing hockey, figure skating, curling and short track speed skating telecasts means Chisholm his team will provide core feeds of those marquee events to the Ioc's Olympic Broadcasting Service, the host broadcaster for the 2010 Olympics.
That has Chisholm overseeing from his base at the Ioc's International Broadcast Center (Ibc) in Vancouver six standing...
- 2/5/2010
- by By Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If you are a fan of Syfy's Battlestar Galactica, you probably know that some scenes of the series were filmed in and around the extensive forests of western British Columbia. What you may not realise, however, is that two of the show's stars - Tricia Helfer (Number Six) and Tahmoh Penikett ('Helo') - have lent their talents to a new indie docu-drama that is intended to raise awareness of issues associated with cutting down some of these forests.
The film, called The Green Chain, was written, directed and co-produced by Vancouver-born Mark Leiren-Young. His previous credits include scripts for episodes of the series The Collector, Blood Ties and Psi Factor. He has also written a book, 'Never Shoot a Stampede Queen', articles for 'Time Magazine', 'Maclean's' and 'The Utne Reader', and stage plays.
True to his roots, Leiren-Young focuses The Green Chain on the debate in British Columbia, but it...
The film, called The Green Chain, was written, directed and co-produced by Vancouver-born Mark Leiren-Young. His previous credits include scripts for episodes of the series The Collector, Blood Ties and Psi Factor. He has also written a book, 'Never Shoot a Stampede Queen', articles for 'Time Magazine', 'Maclean's' and 'The Utne Reader', and stage plays.
True to his roots, Leiren-Young focuses The Green Chain on the debate in British Columbia, but it...
- 8/22/2009
- CinemaSpy
After triumphing for two years in a row, Jake Gyllenhaal is not the winner of our third annual AfterElton.com Hot 100 poll (see the results for 2007 here and 2008 here). So which out man did take the top spot? If you’re the kind of person who always burns their mouth biting into that piping hot chocolate chip cookie, you can just cheat and go here to learn who came in first place.
Here at AfterElton.com, we’re thrilled to announce an out gay man topped this year’s list – especially this particular man as most of us voted for him as well. In fact, out gay men snagged nearly 20% of the spots, including the top three. To be sure, we’ve nothing against our straight male crushes, but it says something great about 2009 that there are so many out men to choose from.
What we find almost as interesting...
Here at AfterElton.com, we’re thrilled to announce an out gay man topped this year’s list – especially this particular man as most of us voted for him as well. In fact, out gay men snagged nearly 20% of the spots, including the top three. To be sure, we’ve nothing against our straight male crushes, but it says something great about 2009 that there are so many out men to choose from.
What we find almost as interesting...
- 5/11/2009
- by dennis
- The Backlot
Battlestar Galactica star Katee Sackhoff is starring in the tentatively titled telefilm Be Careful What You Wish For, which is set to air on Lifetime in the U.S. and on CH Television in Canada.
The two-hour movie, from Blueprint Entertainment, is set in a small town in the 1990s. Sackhoff will star as Sara Jacob, a teenager who has had a crush on one of her classmates since preschool. But when an eclipse lands the unsuspecting teens at their wedding almost 20 years in the future, neither of them is prepared for what adulthood has in store.
Also starring in the movie, which just wrapped production, are Sage Brocklebank (Psych), Kim Poirier (Dawn of the Dead) and Tommy Lioutas (Whistler). Careful is set to air July 16 on Lifetime.
Careful, filmed on location in Regina and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, was produced by Blueprint with local producer Stephen Onda Prods. The companies produced the TV movie Intimate Stranger.
Executive producers for Blueprint are John Morayniss, Noreen Halpern and Ira Pincus.
The two-hour movie, from Blueprint Entertainment, is set in a small town in the 1990s. Sackhoff will star as Sara Jacob, a teenager who has had a crush on one of her classmates since preschool. But when an eclipse lands the unsuspecting teens at their wedding almost 20 years in the future, neither of them is prepared for what adulthood has in store.
Also starring in the movie, which just wrapped production, are Sage Brocklebank (Psych), Kim Poirier (Dawn of the Dead) and Tommy Lioutas (Whistler). Careful is set to air July 16 on Lifetime.
Careful, filmed on location in Regina and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, was produced by Blueprint with local producer Stephen Onda Prods. The companies produced the TV movie Intimate Stranger.
Executive producers for Blueprint are John Morayniss, Noreen Halpern and Ira Pincus.
- 4/10/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Charity Shea, Athena Karkanis, Brendan Jay McLaren and Sherry Miller are set as the stars of The Best Years, a teen drama for The N from Toronto-based Blueprint Entertainment now shooting in Toronto.
The ensemble cast for the one-hour drama about first-year students at a Boston university also features Jennifer Miller and Alan Van Sprang.
Noreen Halpern, a Los Angeles-based executive producer with Blueprint Entertainment, said that Toronto-based Aaron Martin created the series for The N, which also airs Canadian series Degrassi: The Next Generation. Martin executive produced and served as head writer on that high school drama.
Martin will executive produce and co-write The Best Years, while Paul Jackson will produce and share writing credits.
Both Jackson and Martin collaborated on Whistler, a Blueprint teen series that recently bowed on CTV in Canada and The N in the U.S. The second season of Whistler is set to begin shooting in January. Global Television will air The Best Years in Canada.
The ensemble cast for the one-hour drama about first-year students at a Boston university also features Jennifer Miller and Alan Van Sprang.
Noreen Halpern, a Los Angeles-based executive producer with Blueprint Entertainment, said that Toronto-based Aaron Martin created the series for The N, which also airs Canadian series Degrassi: The Next Generation. Martin executive produced and served as head writer on that high school drama.
Martin will executive produce and co-write The Best Years, while Paul Jackson will produce and share writing credits.
Both Jackson and Martin collaborated on Whistler, a Blueprint teen series that recently bowed on CTV in Canada and The N in the U.S. The second season of Whistler is set to begin shooting in January. Global Television will air The Best Years in Canada.
- 11/1/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nickelodeon's spinoff teen net, The N, has snapped up the cable TV rights to former WB Network dramas Dawson's Creek and Summerland. Beginning May 1, the network will carry all 26 episodes of Summerland, the 2004 Lori Loughlin vehicle that was pulled from The WB after a single season. The N will start running Dawson's Creek starting this fall, having picked up the entire series library. Financials were not disclosed. The N is positioning Dawson's Creek as a complement to its upcoming Friday night original drama, Whistler, premiering June 30. The show is perhaps best known for launching the career of actresses Katie Holmes and Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams. The nighttime flipside to the kids' net Noggin, The N is currently available in 46 million households.
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